


Loose Ends - Part #4 - Issues

by ImperfectOrphanage



Category: Subarashiki Kono Sekai | The World Ends With You
Genre: F/F, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-14
Updated: 2016-12-14
Packaged: 2018-09-08 15:17:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 21,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8850007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImperfectOrphanage/pseuds/ImperfectOrphanage
Summary: Twewytober was a prompt challenge run in the Twewy tag on Tumblr.
There are four parts to the full series.
Part #1 - MinoruNeku Sakuraba has become the new Conductor of Shibuya and his first order of business is fucking things up as much as possible.
Part #2 - Interim (Intermission)There are some things that are easier than others, when cleaning up the mess in the middle of Shibuya’s UG.
Part #3 - GhostsAfter the trouble with Minoru, things were beginning to get back to normal until a series of anomalous numbers and a few text messages remind Neku Sakuraba that Shibuya is anything but.
Part #4 - IssuesSometimes, the things we bury the deepest are the first to surface.





	

**Standalone Chapter #1 - Pictures**

 

“I’m thinking about going abroad.”

Neku stuffed another chicken nugget in his mouth. He had invited Beat out for lunch at Sunshine near Shibuya Station. In an effort to avoid talking about Rhyme, Neku had asked what Beat was going to major in, since his grades were top notch. He had the pick of pretty much any college.

“But why?” Neku sipped his soda and the cold drink tickled his stomach after the warm nugget. “Don’t you want to stay near your parents?”

“Nah,” Beat was munching on french fries, “I wanna see the world. Maybe go to one of those fancy schools like Yale or Harvard. I can get a student visa and maybe if I get an internship I can stay.”

Neku smiled. “But what are you majoring in?”

“Not sure.” Beat paused, a long french fry hanging from his mouth, “maybe history or cooking.”

“That’s…a vast difference.”

Beat shrugged and took a large bite of his cheeseburger with extra pickles. He chewed thoroughly and wiped at his mouth with a napkin. “What about you?”

“Oh, yeah,” Neku stared at the pile of nuggets, “well, I did drop out.”

“You can always test to get a degree. Y’might not get a good school but you could go.”

Neku made a tower of chicken nuggets. It toppled over into the ketchup and Neku picked one up to pop into his mouth. He wasn’t a fan of ketchup but his love of chicken nuggets transcended any condiment. “This internship has a good future. I guess as long as I’m being paid, it’s alright. I was never one for thinking about the future.”

“That’s cool, too,” Beat said. He had a dollop of mustard at the corner of his mouth.

“Yeah, I guess.”

There was a pretty brunette cashier who had taken a fancy to both of them. She came to the table to offer desert or extra fries at a discount. Neku shook his head and Beat smiled with a mouthful of burger.

She giggled and walked away.

Neku could feel the music thrumming from her soul. He sighed.

“I guess I gotta get back to work,” he said, gathering up the rest of his food to eat on the go. Tossing a few dollars on the table he stood up. “It’s on me today.”

“Sweet!” Beat punched him in the arm. “I’ll see you around.”

Neku nodded. “Of course. Next week?”

“Same time, same place,” Beat said and dug into the rest of the food with newfound vigor.

Walking away from the restaurant, Neku felt a heavy weight in his chest. Eventually Beat would forget about him and possibly even Rhyme since she was a Producer in training. Shiki and Eri were all set to go on a trip to Europe before moving to New York. Mr. H had pulled some strings and the two were set on a road to success.

There wouldn’t be anyone left to remember him.

Standing at the Scramble Crossing, Neku had lowered his frequency so he didn’t have to wait for the lights to change. He walked ahead, mouthful of nuggets and fries, as he headed for the apartment complex. There wasn’t a Game this week and Neku enjoyed the time off from work. It gave him time to visit friends and call his father, who had decided to move to a smaller apartment across town. Since Neku no longer lived in the old apartment it was pointless to keep it.

He was finished with his food once he got to the apartment complex. Christmas had come and gone and now the building was decked out in signs for the new year and hopes for the future. Neku wondered if there would come a time he stopped counting birthdays and new years.

As soon as he entered the lobby, Neku tweaked his frequency to wave at the lady behind the counter. She was cheerily typing into a computer with a stack of paperwork sitting on the counter almost as tall as her. It was probably bills for room service and a myriad of other things Neku didn’t want to think about. He entered the elevator and stuffed his hands in his coat pocket as it went up. He could have just transported to the apartment, but after so many times of catching Joshua doing something naughty, Neku learned to walk instead.

He exited the elevator and stood in front of their door. Neku couldn’t understand why-since Joshua had the whole floor-there was even a hallway. But there was roof access and no code for the top floor. Neku shrugged it off and knocked on the door in warning.

“Come on in, Neku.”

Neku pushed the door open and found Joshua sitting on the sofa looking at a book. From what Neku could see it was a binder full of photographs.

He sat next to Joshua on the sofa and leaned in to look. “Are those your baby pictures?”

Joshua nodded. His expression was sour. “My dear mother made these. Most Composers destroy or toss their memories once they take on the role but…I couldn’t. My mother was all I had.”

Neku saw a thin woman with a bright smile in one of the photos. Her hands were holding Joshua’s chubby little fists as he took a few steps. His face was round and bright, and Neku could see a tiny tooth peeking out from a happy smile. Joshua was also naked aside from a puffy diaper and his hair was an absolute mess of blonde curls.

“You’re cute,” Neku laughed. “I like your little butt.”

Joshua frowned. “Stop looking at my butt.”

He couldn’t help it. Scattered in with the pictures of Joshua playing and eating were shots of him in the bath or running from the camera stark naked. Neku noticed a tiny birthmark on Joshua’s bottom. “You don’t have that anymore, do you?”

“I grew out of it.”

“But you didn’t grow out of running around naked,” Neku teased. He flipped the page and saw a rather adorable picture of Joshua on the first day of kindergarten. “It’s weird seeing you as a kid.”

Joshua giggled. “Did you think I just appeared one day?”

“I thought you fell from Heaven. You know, fallen angel stuff.”

“Not funny,” Joshua said, “especially in light of Sanae. Poor dear just hasn’t been the same since.”

“At least the coffee is improving a bit.” Neku noticed another book on the coffee table. He reached out and drew it into his lap. “What’s this?”

Joshua glanced over. “Those were shortly before mother died. Most of them are of her and me, but there are quite a few shots of Shibuya. I often walked around the city with my camera. At first I was trying to get pictures of the Noise and Reapers, but when that didn’t work I took pictures of Sanae’s murals and people in clothes I liked.”

Opening the book Neku saw the same woman from before but her hair was gone. Her head was covered with a blue handkerchief and her skin was much paler. But her eyes were still happy, and despite being in a hospital bed, she smiled with Joshua for a picture.

Joshua’s eyes were distant, but he had still tried to smile.

“I still miss her,” he whispered, fingers stroking a picture of her. “My mother did everything she could to make sure I was happy.”

“I’m sorry, Josh.” Neku snuggled closer to the Composer. “I’m sure she’s watching over you.”

“Everyone says that,” Joshua mock laughed, “but they don’t mean it.”

Neku winced. “Hey. Maybe it’s not good to dwell on the past.”

“I think the only thing you need to dwell on, Neku, is a mint. You smell like desiccated chicken.”

He covered his mouth quickly.

Joshua giggled. “I see you’ve been out with your friends. How are they?”

“Beat,” Neku made sure not to talk in Joshua’s face, “he’s going to college overseas.”

“Commendable. I didn’t know him very well, but he seemed somewhat clueless.”

“A lot of that was an act. He’s actually really smart, but he gets nervous when people talk about how smart he can be. It makes him act stupid. But yeah, even Minamimoto was impressed by his math skills.”

“I’m not going to ask how he knows.”

Neku shrugged. “I don’t think I want to know either. Maybe the math man likes to tutor kids.”

“I can’t see it,” Joshua sighed. He closed the book and set it on the table before sliding the one in Neku’s lap over to his. “Mother was always beautiful.”

“Hey, c’mon, let’s stop looking.”

“I still wonder if she’s upset with me for doing what I did.”

Neku blinked. “Josh-“

“After all of the hard work she put into raising me I threw it away on a whim.”

The Composer’s eyes were filled with regret. Neku wanted to take away the pain but had no idea how to do it. He chose to place a hand on Joshua’s lap.

“Neku,” Joshua spoke softly, “what do you regret most?”

“Huh, I don’t know.” Neku managed to pull the photobook from Joshua’s lap. He closed it and set it on top of the other. “I guess I regret a lot. But everything turned out okay so there’s no point in looking back, is there?”

“I suppose not,” Joshua mused. He stretched his arms and moved over down to rest on Neku’s shoulders. He smiled and turned to stare at Neku. “We have two more days until the next Game. What should we do with all of that time?”

Neku shrugged. “I already ate. Have you eaten?”

“Not really. Unless you count a handful of cookies.”

“No, I don’t.” Neku pecked Joshua on the lips. “You taste buttery.”

Joshua grinned. He pressed his forehead to Neku. “You taste like salt and tomatoes. Not exactly the best combination of tastes.”

“Sorry. Hey, what’s Mr. H up to? I tried calling him earlier and he didn’t answer.”

“Oh, he’s painting a new mural near the River. I’m not allowed to peek until he’s done, and he said it could take several days. But in Sanae’s time-since the man doesn’t sleep-it’ll probably be done in three.”

Neku said nothing. He reached over Joshua to grab the television remote. The television powered on to the UG News Network. They were discussing weather and the situation with Rolling Numbers. One of the Higher Ups were being interviewed about the mess. Neku clicked to one of the foreign channels. On the New Zealand feed, they were talking about an upcoming movie being shot there. Clicking again, Neku found a Canadian channel showing cartoons.

“I think I might take a bath,” Joshua said suddenly. He rose from the couch and walked toward the bathroom without another word. It was code for Neku to know he didn’t want to be disturbed.

Falling down onto his side, Neku continued to flip channels until his mind checked out somewhere around a cooking show for idiots. He wished there was something he could do for Joshua, but sometimes a person just needed to work through their issues alone. It made Neku feel helpless.

But at least it was something simple, and not a life or death struggle for Shibuya.

Neku had had enough of those.

* * *

 

**Standalone Chapter #2 – Memories**

 

It was chilly in the cemetery near the church. Despite not needing protection from the cold, Joshua wore a thick coat and a hand crocheted scarf around his neck. The wind fluttered his hair and chilled his face, but it didn’t bother him much. He didn’t want his mother to worry for him.

Kneeling down, Joshua placed a sprig of purple flowers onto the plain gravestone. He wiped his hand across the name and the dates before clearing away the few weeds growing at the base. “Hello, Mother.”

It had been a few weeks since Joshua had been able to visit his mother’s grave. He tried to visit at least once a month, but lately with all the business with Neku and the Higher Plane, there wasn’t much time.

Joshua leaned in to kiss the stone. “I wish I could come more often. I have a friend, Mother. Perhaps you can see him from wherever you are. His name is Neku. Neku Sakuraba. I hope you found his mother and have become friends, as well. It would be nice.”

The wind whistled past and a few leaves tickled against Joshua’s face as they whirled by. Joshua smiled, pretending it was a kiss from his mother. “Oh, Mother,” he whispered, “I’m so tired.”

He could hear the laughter of children near the entrance to the church. Looking toward the church his mother had taken him to every Sunday, Joshua smiled fondly. A crowd of children were playing and laughing on the front steps.

“Tomorrow, Mother,” he said, “there will be another Game. Please watch over us.”

Another gust of wind. Joshua caught a hint of cigarette smoke.

“Sanae, I thought I told you not to bother me when I’m visiting her.”

The Producer came to stand next to Joshua. He had a cigarette between his lips and paint on his hands and clothes. “Yeah. I was in the area. Thought I’d pop by.”

Joshua tucked his hands in his pockets. They hadn’t felt cold but now, within the warmth of his pockets, they were freezing. “Sanae, do you think she’s proud of me?”

“Can’t say,” he took a puff and knocked the ashes into his pants pocket, “but I’m sure she’s happy either way, knowing her son is tryin’ ‘is best.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Joshua said, giving him a sour look. “You’ll ruin your pants.”

Hanekoma shrugged. “I don’t want to be disrespectful.”

He gave the gruff barista another look. “Sanae, dear, you’re covered in paint. I don’t think respectable is what you’re going for.”

A laugh. “Yeah. Sorry.”

“Did the painting go well, at least? Can I see your new masterpiece or do I need special permission?” Joshua teased. He turned to walk away, but paused. “C’mon, Sanae. I’ll let you buy me a coffee on the way.”

“That’d be sacrilege. Buying from a chain,” Hanekoma snorted. “How impertinent.”

“You wouldn’t have me any other way, would you?” Joshua grinned. The wind had burned his cheeks a bit and the skin felt raw.

Hanekoma smirked. “Well, there are other ways but none of ‘em are polite in a graveyard.”

“Now, now. Save your perversion for the bedr-“

A shiver went down Joshua’s spine. He wasn’t on the RG frequency, but it didn’t stop him from being slightly unnerved at seeing his father coming toward the stone. His heart begged him to protect his mother’s grave from the monster, but his brain made him step aside and watch. Hanekoma had even grown quiet.

“How dare he,” Joshua hissed under his breath. “He has no right to visit my mother.”

Hanekoma placed an arm around Joshua’s shoulders to guide him from the cemetery, but Joshua violently shrugged it off.

“Kid, don’t.”

He wasn’t aware his hand had raised. “Fuck.”

“Ain’t heard ya say that in years.”

“I hate him,” Joshua seethed. “Sanae, take me somewhere else. I don’t trust my power right now.”

The energy shifted around them. Joshua felt the music of Shibuya cradle his soul and when the moment faded, he was standing in the middle of the Pad. A gentle song was being badly hummed on the other side of the bar and Joshua tilted his head to listen.

“Eat ‘em up, little fishies,” Neku sang, his voice cracking. “Yummy, yummy, yummy, to your tummy tummy tummy.”

A laugh exploded from Joshua’s chest. “Oh, oh, I’m sorry. Neku, oh, dear.”

Neku peeked above the bar, his ears red. “When did you get here?”

“Just in time to hear the chorus,” he said, grinning at Hanekoma. “I suppose the fish do belong to Neku after all.”

“Hey, did you see?” Neku disappeared behind the bar for a moment. He walked out from behind as he stood up. “We have little fish, too. They’ve had babies.”

Joshua narrowed his eyes. “I didn’t think they could do that.”

“Why, are they dead?” Neku glanced down at the glass paneling and the fish circling his feet.

“Oh, no. I thought I only had boys in here.” He tapped the glass with his foot. “Miracles happen everyday it seems.”

Neku smiled. “So, did you see it?”

“Nah, I haven’t shown ‘im, yet,” Hanekoma said. The cigarette he’d been smoking was gone. “Are ya ready for a surprise, Josh?”

“A surprise?” Joshua was turned by his shoulders. “What, Sanae-“

Neku slapped his hands over Joshua’s eyes. “C’mon, let’s go see it.”

He was led-wobbly-away from the Pad to the Trail of the Judged.

Joshua still needed to come up with better names for the rooms of the Shibuya River than those Megumi had given him.

“Okay, open your eyes,” Neku half-sang. He was certainly in a merry mood.

“I don’t see why-“

The sight was breathtaking. It had been so dark before, full of Hanekoma’s older designs, and pieces from Udagawa. Joshua stepped closer to the mural and placed his hand on it. The wall was filled with bright color and less abstract shapes. In the middle of it all was Joshua. Not in his human form, but in his Composer form with a pair of large, feathery wings. The entire city surrounded him, and it shone more brilliantly that Joshua had ever seen.

“Sanae, I,” he swallowed his words. “Thank you.”

“Meh, I wasn’t doin’ much an’ I thought you needed a pick me up.”

Neku punched him in the arm. “Don’t act all humble, Mr. H. You were planning this for weeks.”

Hanekoma huffed, “Hey, shut up.”

A giggle built in Joshua’s throat. It bubbled up and became a peal of happy laughter. “You two certainly know how to make a person feel special. I love it.”

They grinned. Joshua smiled as well.

“My two boys,” he sighed. “C’mon, let’s go home. Tonight, we’re going to have a little fun.”

* * *

 

**Chapter #3 – Meet and Greet**

 

The phone rang every Thursday around eight o’clock at night. Neku often let it go to voicemail if he was busy with paperwork or with Joshua, but he would return the call soon after.

It was his father, Shiro Sakuraba, an architect with a large firm on the other side of town. He was rarely at home and had remotely cared for Neku not too soon after his wife’s death. They didn’t talk about her, though, since the topic was a sensitive one for Neku. Instead, they talked about Neku’s day and how many projects Shiro had on his plate. Before Neku moved in with Joshua, they would have dinners while talking to each other on the phone. It wasn’t the same as having his father around, but he took what he could when he could.

Over the years, Neku had spent a grand total of seven weeks with his father. Every now and again Shiro would be between projects and come home to hang out with his son. They would play games, eat junk food, and go shopping for whatever Neku needed. Shiro was a happy-go-lucky type, and was often laughing and joking despite being exhausted from work.

It was Thursday, fifteen minutes past eight o’clock, when Shiro asked a question Neku wasn’t sure how to answer.

“So,” his father was eating, “when can I come meet your boyfriend?”

Neku froze. He glanced at Joshua-who was currently playing Mario Kart on the Wii U-before staring out the balcony window at the lights.

“Well, I wouldn’t call it that,” he said, biting the end of his thumbnail. “I mean, we haven’t really called it anything and we haven’t done anything.”

Shiro laughed. He began coughing and set the phone down for a minute. “S-sorry, Neku. I almost died by noodles. But you live together, right?”

“Yeah, we have for almost a year,” Neku whispered. He quietly snuck away to the bedroom. “And we’ve kissed and stuff, but he won’t y’know, do anything more because I’m so young.”

“Really? How old is he?”

Neku winced. Shit. “He’s around twenty-five?”

A pause-the sound of munching-and a burp. “Excuse me. I guess it’s okay. It sounds like he respects your boundaries. You weren’t one for cuddling after-“

Silence.

“So,” Neku rubbed his neck, “I guess you could come over? Wait, no, he doesn’t like people knowing where he lives. Shit. I mean, uh. We could come over-“

“He can come over.”

Neku whipped around to see Joshua standing in the doorway with his arms folded.

“He’s your father,” Joshua said. “I would love to meet the man who brought my dear proxy to life.”

“Don’t call me that,” Neku growled. “Hey, dad, Josh says it’s okay. When-“

“Tomorrow night too soon?” Shiro was still eating. “I could bring food.”

Joshua snatched the phone away from Neku. “Hello, Sakuraba-san? Yes. This is Joshua. Don’t worry about bring food over. I’ll cook for us. Do you like Italian food?”

Neku flailed, trying to snatch the phone back before Joshua shoved him onto the bed. “Hey, asshole! Give me my phone back!”

“Oh, don’t worry,” Joshua grinned, “Neku is just fine. Can you take down an address?”

“Damnit, Josh!” Neku scrambled over the bed to reach for the phone. “Gimme my phone!”

Joshua giggled. “Yes. I will provide the wine and the desert. The treat for me is to meet my dear partner’s father. I hope you don’t mind if I dress up?”

Giving up, Neku collapsed onto the bed with his arms wide. “Fuck.”

“Wonderful! We will see you tomorrow night around seven,” Joshua said. He waved his fingers at Neku and winked. “We’ll see you then. Yes, goodnight, sir.”

Joshua ended the call and tossed the phone back to Neku. He was smiling like a fox.

“What the hell, Josh?” Neku set his phone on the bedside table. “I thought you didn’t like people knowing where you lived and who you were?”

“Isn’t it curious,” Joshua mused, “that your father has yet to begin forgetting you?”

Neku sat on the edge of the bed. “Yeah, I didn’t even think about it.”

“I’m not surprised.” Joshua flopped down on the bed and lay back with his arms above his head. “Neku, Neku, I wonder how your father will feel about me?”

It was dark in the bedroom except for a sliver of light twinkling through the window to light on Joshua’s face and neck. Neku smiled and moved to lay on top of him. He held his head up with his elbows as he gazed down at the beautiful boy who loved him.

Joshua smiled peacefully and reached up to trail his fingers over Neku’s cheek. “I love you.”

“I know,” Neku said, and bent his head down to kiss Joshua’s neck. “I think he’ll like you. Dad’s a really nice guy. He worked hard to keep me and mom comfortable. At least, before she died.”

“How?” Joshua slid his hand behind Neku’s head and brought him down for a kiss. “It wasn’t an illness was it?”

Neku shook his head. He kissed Joshua back and delighted in the gasp Joshua made when the kiss grew deeper and deeper. Neku loved to bite Joshua’s bottom lip and suck on the corner of his mouth. “I don’t want to talk about it, really.”

“You know my story,” Joshua pouted playfully, “and it would only be right for me to hear yours.”

“It wasn’t illness.”

He wanted to pull away, but Joshua rolled them over and landed on top of Neku. Another kiss later and Joshua’s hands roved Neku’s body, making his skin tingle with excitement. Joshua made a pleasurable noise in his throat and rubbed against Neku through their clothes.

“Hey, hey,” Neku tried to push him off, “stop.”

“No,” Joshua huffed. He tucked his head into the crook of Neku’s throat. “Please, let me. It’s not-“

“I don’t want it,” Neku said sharply.

Joshua was quick to comply. He pulled away from Neku and knelt in the floor to put his head in Neku’s lap. “I’m sorry. I can’t wait for the day you’re able to be with me.”

“Yeah,” Neku whispered. His fingers stroked Joshua’s hair. “I’m sorry, I’m just not comfortable.”

“Neku?”

“Hm?”

“Tell me, please?”

He closed his eyes. An image of his mother popped into his head. She was smiling and happy, and just this side of ditzy. It was why Neku’s parents got along. Neku smiled at the memories swirling in his head.

Then, the memory of his mother’s death tarnished all happiness he had.

“It was an accident. It,” Neku bit his lip, “it was my fault.”

Joshua sat up with the rustle of fabric. “Neku?”

A tear streaked down Neku’s face to drip from his chin. It fell to his hands. “I killed her.”

“I doubt it was your fault, Neku.” Joshua licked the tears from Neku’s hand and cheek.

“No, it was.” Neku swallowed against the stickiness in his throat. If he continued talking about it, he knew he’d end up sobbing like a baby.

“If you don’t want to tell me I won’t pry.”

He shook his head. “No, no. I need to get it out.”

Joshua settled next to him on the bed. “Go on. I’m listening.”

“It was a nice day. We had been to the park and she let me play for the longest time. I was tired but I wanted to go shopping with her for dinner. Dad used to come home more often and we ate all sorts of things because Mom loved to cook. She wasn’t that great at it, but I would give anything to taste her food just one more time.”

Neku breathed slowly as the tears began to fall from his eyes.

“I was tired. I was only four or five at the time. I threw a fit because she wouldn’t let me help hold the groceries because they were heavy. The bag,” he sniffled, “it ripped. I didn’t think I just dove after the oranges in the middle of the street and-“

It hurt to talk about. The tears made Neku feel like a complete and total weakling. He rubbed at his face and sniffed back more tears. “I didn’t see the car.”

“Neku,” Joshua whispered, “is that what you meant when you said it was ‘just like that time’?”

“You weren’t even th-“ Neku laughed bitterly. “You were watching us, weren’t you? Yeah. I guess that’s what I meant. Who knows? I seem to attract death.”

Joshua pulled him into a warm embrace. “I’m so sorry, Neku.”

“I’m more sorry,” he returned, “because if I hadn’t been such a brat she’d still be here.”

“Shh,” Joshua soothed. He pulled Neku down into the bed, laying so that they faced each other. “Forgive me for pushing you. I was curious.”

Neku rubbed at his eyes. “It’s okay. I needed to tell someone.”

Joshua smiled. “I’ll go get you a cool cloth and maybe we could play some games? I need you to show me how to race without falling off of everything.”

“It’s not that hard,” Neku laughed. “But okay. It’s a deal.”

They didn’t leave the bed right away. Joshua stared at him with kind eyes as his hand drew shapes on the contours of Neku’s face and neck.

Neku leaned into Joshua’s palm. “I love you, too.”

A simple smile was Joshua’s reply before he kissed Neku and rose from the bed.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Joshua stood in front of the full length mirror in his closet. It was half-past six o’clock and he still wasn’t sure what to wear for dinner. The food had been cooked and was currently simmering while Neku chopped vegetables for a salad. From the kitchen, Joshua could hear him cursing a tomato under the soft jazz playing on the sound system.

“Damn, I’m going to need to change my frequency,” Joshua mumbled to his reflection.

Neku’s father had been told Joshua was twenty-five and he looked nothing like it. The unfortunate thing about aging up would be most of his female outfits went from cute to practical. He did have a nice shirt with a pullover sweater that matched a plaid skirt, but it was slightly out of fashion.

He bit his lip and turned in the mirror. “Damn.”

A shiver of music later and he stood only slightly taller than before. His face was less soft and his hair cascaded over his shoulders in silver curls. The tiny amount of baby fat he usually had in his cheeks and hips were gone, and his skin was a bit pale.

He began rifling through his clothes. At the back of the closet was a clean white shirt tucked under a dark yellow sweater with puffy sleeves. Directly behind it was the knee length plaid skirt in tones of brown and gold. Joshua sighed. “It’ll have to do.”

“Oi, Josh!” Neku called from the kitchen. “You almost done back there?”

Joshua tugged the shirt and sweater on. “Almost, Neku.”

He paused before pulling the skirt on. It would probably be in his best interest to put on a pair of underwear or maybe a lacy set of women’s panties. Joshua giggled. He knew the perfect pair. It was comfortable and oddly empowering.

“Alright, Neku, I’m ready!”

A couple footsteps and Neku appeared in the doorway with a bowl of salad and a pair of tongs as he tossed the vegetables in. “Wow. Who are you and what did you do with my boyfriend?”

“Funny,” Joshua laughed. “You said I was twenty-five. Do I look old enough?”

Neku stared at the skirt. “Uh, really, Josh? You know I totally support your gender fluidism but I don’t know if my dad-“

“It wouldn’t do any good for me to lie about who I am.” Joshua turned back to the mirror and gave his face a quick once over. “Thank goodness for clear skin.”

“I guess you’re right. It doesn’t matter what he thinks,” Neku said, “I love you and I’m the one who has to put up with your bullshit.”

Joshua snorted. “You’re being incredibly romantic, Neku.”

“Well, at least I’m not wearing my power panties.”

A long pause. “…how do you know when I’m wearing them?”

Neku smiled. “Let’s just say I’ve watched your behind long enough to know. Now come on and help me set the table before he gets here.”

“Yes, dear.” Joshua closed the closet door and stepped into the kitchen.

Under the overhead lights in the kitchen the room sparkled. Neku had insisted on cleaning the apartment and had started doing it the hard way before Joshua waved his fingers. It had been an interesting afternoon and Neku refused to talk to him for at least an hour.

Joshua pulled a cucumber from the salad and munched on it. “Neku, are you sure you want to wear what you’re wearing?”

“Huh?” Neku held his arms out. He was decked out in a black dress shirt-with his sleeves rolled up-and a bright red tie. His slacks were black as well, and had been pressed and creased. “Is it too dark?”

“I suppose not,” Joshua hummed. “Adjust your tie. It’s a bit sloppy.”

“I suck at ties,” Neku argued. He pulled and pulled but it only got worse.

Joshua sighed. “Neku, Neku.”

His fingers were quick and the tie soon lay correctly against Neku’s chest.

“Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it,” Joshua said. He started for the door.

Neku peeked around the wall. “Where are you going?”

“To let your father in. He’s early. I can hear the elevator.”

On cue there was a happy knock on the door. Joshua took a deep breath-why was he nervous?-and turned the knob. Upon opening the door he suddenly found a plate of cheese in his face.

“Neku~” Shiro Sakuraba teased. He blinked. “Oh, sorry. I thought you were my son.”

“Does he like cheese?” Joshua poked one of the soft cubes.

“Ah, I always make a mess of things. I brought a cheese plate because you said I shouldn’t bring anything but I thought I needed to but I wasn’t sure what to get so I went with the safe choice and got a variety cheese plate from the butcher’s shop. I know the guy and-“

Joshua stared. While the man talked, he took a moment to take stock of Neku’s father.

Shiro was a short man. He was an inch taller than Neku and at least a half-inch shorter than Joshua’s older form. A fine array of hair tickled over his chin and cheeks, and it reminded Joshua of Sanae’s silly facial hair. On the bridge of Shiro’s nose was a pair of gold glasses, and just behind them was a pair of bright blue eyes. They were partially hidden behind a fringe of salted carrot hair. It was a complete mess, with most of the hair being tied back at the base of Shiro’s neck.

Once Joshua saw what the man was wearing, he no longer worried about his choice of outfit. Shiro had a messy white shirt with a dotting of stains around the cuffs and collar. He wore a rather outdated sweater vest with a few loose strings and a pair of khaki cargo pants stuffed with various things. Joshua was sure he saw a few pencils, a small notepad, a box of pocky, and a drawing compass.

“-and well, I said, beggars can’t be choosers and then-“

“Dad, for the love of fuck, please stop,” Neku called from the kitchen.

“S-sorry, son!” Shiro laughed. His scruffy face was tinted with pink. “Can I come in, Kiryu-san?”

Joshua giggled and waved him in. “You can call me Joshua.”

“You can call me Dad.”

Neku shouted from the kitchen. “Absolutely not!”

Another laugh and Shiro had wiggled free of his shoes and had made it to the kitchen with the cheese plate wobbling in his hands. “Heya, son!”

“Dad, please stop trying so hard, it’s embarrassing,” he muttered under his breath.

“I can see why you were nervous. He’s a hot guy.”

Joshua stilled.

“D-dad! That’s not funny!”

“Look, he’s fifteen years my junior but I wouldn’t hesitate to-“

Neku threw an apron over his father’s head and fumed. “Dad, just…just shut up.”

A laugh issued from under the apron. The cheese plate sat on the counter.

Half a second passed. Joshua tugged the apron off of Shiro’s head and tossed it at a basket near the bedroom door. “C’mon, Neku. Let’s all be polite.”

“Polite,” Neku said. He carried the bowl of salad to the table and began to distribute it among the three bowls. A glass of wine had already been poured for each chair, and next to the plates were enough silverware for five meals.

Joshua waited for Shiro to take a seat. He started to sit down and Neku whisked his chair out.

“Oh, my, Neku. How sweet of you,” Joshua said. He grabbed Neku’s hand and kissed it. “Take your seat, dear.”

Neku made sure Joshua was comfortably seated before popping down to his chair. “Josh made the food, Dad. He likes to cook.”

“It smells good. Who made the salad?”

“Uh, nature?” Neku said. “I mean, I tossed it.”

Joshua took a sip of his wine. He set the glass back down and leaned on one hand. “Tell me about yourself, Shiro. I heard you were an architect?”

In the middle of a bite, Shiro happily replied with a muffled, “Mmhm, ish nice.”

“Dad.”

Shiro chewed and swallowed. “It’s a nice job. The pay is great and the hours are horrible but do you know how many buildings we’ve built and brought up to current code? It’s amazing. The firm I work at has hundreds of other buildings to work on. I don’t think I’ll run out of work anytime soon. Sorry, Neku.”

“Don’t apologize,” Neku said. He sipped his wine, made a face, and set it down. “You like being an architect. I’m not going to get in the way of your dream.”

“Your dream?” Joshua was busy separating the tomatoes from the salad.

“My dream is to make the city beautiful. I want to make every single building shine like the jewel it could be. There are so many little changes and tweaks to make. With a little work we could utilize the space we have much better.” He cheerily took a large drink of wine. “Whoooa. This is expensive, isn’t it? Nice.”

Joshua smiled. “Thank you.”

“I guess I don’t have to worry about Neku being a kept man, eh?”

Neku’s face flushed. “DAD NO.”

“Dad, yes,” Shiro teased.

The man ate like an animal and drank like a fish, but his happy demeanor and his bubbling personality won Joshua over. He managed to eat an entire bowl of salad, a huge plate of roasted garlic chicken and pasta with two breadsticks, and a bowl of flan.

At the end of the meal he clapped his hands, bowed his head, and thanked Joshua for the meal.

“Well,” Neku coughed, he had barely gotten through the pasta, “I guess it was a good thing we got a double box of noodles.”

Joshua had barely ate. He was having too much fun watching Shiro fork it in. “Yes. The flan was Neku’s idea and he’s quite decent with desert.”

“Is he as decent in the bedroom as he is the kitchen?” Shiro punched Neku in the arm so hard his chair shifted. “Hehe.”

“Dad, we haven’t done anything but kiss.”

Shiro seemed let down. “Aw, why? Aren’t you two in love?”

“Though I would love to bed Neku, he is too young and not at all comfortable with it.”

Almost on fire from embarrassment, Neku glared at his father. “Do you have to be so-“

“Oops.” Shiro glanced down at his vest. “I got a little sauce on my vest. Neku, come help me get the stain out.”

“No.”

“C’mon, son,” Shiro gave him a look, “I need your help.”

“Fine.”

Joshua watched them disappear into the bathroom. Instead of waiting for their return, he began to clear the dishes and put away what little leftovers they had. The counter was messy and covered in tiny pieces of vegetable, small squares of cheese, and a few spots of sauce. Joshua waved his fingers and the mess disappeared before the dishes transported into the dishwasher.

He could have just washed the dishes, but Joshua didn’t want to look suspicious.

“DAD NO.”

Joshua tiled his head.

“Dad, yes.”

A grumble from Neku and the bathroom door slammed open. He stepped into the hallway with one hand clenched into a fist. When he looked up at Joshua his face flushed and he avoided eye contact.

“Well! I guess I’ll need to go home and wash my clothes,” Shiro said with a stretch. “Man, it’s been a great night but I don’t want to impose on you two lovebirds.”

Joshua smiled politely. He offered his hand to shake and squealed when Shiro pulled him into a hug so tight his lungs ached.

“Y’better take good care of my son, Joshua!” He fluffed Joshua’s hair and slapped him on the back. “And you, Neku, you’d better take care of him. You two are cute together. Oh, nice skirt, J-J.”

“J-J,” Joshua said.

“Cute,” Neku said.

The front door slammed shut and they both stared at it for minutes afterward.

“So,” Joshua began. “Your father is a fun guy.”

“Not,” Neku heaved a sigh, “not really.”

Joshua wrapped an arm around Neku’s shoulders. He could feel the tension in Neku’s back. “What were you two doing in the bathroom?”

He flinched. “Nothing.”

“Neku, I don’t like secrets.”

“It’s not anything bad,” Neku said. “He was just giving me something of mom’s he’s been keeping safe for me since she died.”

Joshua laughed. He moved to lay on the couch, one leg draped over an arm. “What, did he give you your mother’s ring or something?”

It was too quiet.

Joshua peeked over the back of the couch.

“Yeah, uh, no, I mean.”

“Oh, Neku,” Joshua shifted on the couch to lean over the back, “he gave you a ring?”

“Damnit,” Neku turned to bang his head against the wall, “this isn’t the way things should have been and I really, really love my dad but he’s just so pigheaded.”

Joshua let his Conductor gently knock his forehead against the wall. Once the thumping stopped, Joshua folded his arms to rest against the back of the sofa. “Am I wrong to assume what the ring is for?”

“No, you’re not.” Neku kept avoiding eye contact. He walked around the couch and plunked down in a highback armchair. “The ring is for if I want to marry you. He gave me his blessing.”

Falling back onto the couch cushions, Joshua laughed. “Oh. I see.”

“I don’t want to marry you.”

Joshua frowned. He stared at the ceiling and listened to the jazz in the background. His eyes closed and he inhaled the leftover scent of delicious food. A shadow fell over him and he peeked one eye open.

Upon seeing what Neku had in his hands, Joshua shot up into a sit.

“I mean,” Neku swallowed, “not yet. I don’t want to…yet. I can’t be with you…you know.”

The ring was a simple round of silver with a vine engraved on the band. A tiny diamond sparkled in the middle. It was small, but it was very close to Joshua’s size. Joshua wanted to touch it but Neku drew it away.

“I’m sixteen years old. I don’t know if I want to do this for an eternity. I want to be with you,” Neku explained, “but I don’t know if I can do this job for that long. I can’t make any commitments and I can’t promise you I’ll still be here in ten or twenty years. I want to be. I really do.”

“Neku, it’s okay.” Joshua’s hand touched the ring box and snapped it shut. “We only met what? A year ago? We have so much more to discover about each other before we make any promises. All we have is today and tomorrow is never a given-even as a powerful immortal being.”

“I’m glad you understand,” Neku whispered. “I like being with you. I wouldn’t mind living with you for as long as I can. But we’ve had these scares and I don’t know if I can make it through the next battle.”

Joshua shrugged. “I nearly didn’t make it out of the last one. Let’s not worry about it tonight. You should probably call your father later to make sure he got home safe.”

“Give him a few hours. He tends to get lost,” Neku snickered, “especially around crane machines.”

“He’s a lovable idiot.” Joshua snagged Neku’s tie and dragged him in for a kiss. “I can see where you get your lovable idiot self.”

“Shut up, dear,” Neku teased, and returned the kiss in kind.

* * *

 

**Chapter #4 – And Then There Were Two**

 

Once again, Neku and Joshua were in the bookstore. Joshua had tugged Neku along with the promise of chicken nuggets. It didn’t take much convincing though, as Neku seemed to enjoy being around Joshua on lazy days. The weather was nice enough to allow just a light jacket against the wind. Joshua had decided to dress in a colorful ensemble of pinks, yellows, and whites. His fluffy skirt went to his knees and past that he had put on a pair of knee high socks with cat faces.

It had been a gift from Neku, along with the thin white sweater Joshua was wearing.

He kept his arm wrapped around Neku’s as they shopped for books. The newest book in the series Joshua was reading hadn’t come out yet, but there was a similar series rising up in the book lists. He thought about checking it out, but they couldn’t seem to find it.

“Perhaps it’s too new,” Joshua offered.

Neku picked up a book about cooking and flipped it over. “Could be.”

“Are you going to learn to cook?”

He set the book back down and continued down the aisle. “I have been. Higashizawa’s been showing me how to use a wok.”

“You know,” Joshua tugged him to a stop, “you could always ask me. I’m not bad in the kitchen.”

Neku grinned. “Yeah, but you didn’t cook much until I showed up. You’re a little rusty.”

Joshua smacked him in the arm. They continued to the back of the bookstore where the newspapers and magazines that weren’t as popular were stacked. He knew Neku liked the art section, and had recently begun reading about fashion.

Releasing Neku’s arm, Joshua decided to give him a little room to browse. There were some children’s books he’d been meaning to look at, and Neku was never good conversation when reading. The children’s section was as colorful as Joshua was, and the kids gathered in small groups to look at books. Joshua smiled to a pair of twins and knelt down to look at the under five section. There were puzzle books and block books. A few books made noises when pressed and a couple more had faux fur and buttons for babies to touch.

“Hi!”

He turned to see a boy of about five. “Hello.”

“I like your outfit,” the little one said. “I like your hair, too. Did you make it that color?”

Joshua reached up to fluff his hair. “Nope. God made me this way. I like your shoes.”

The boy glanced down at his shoes, which were blue and had trains on the side. “Thanks! Momma says I’m too young to wear what you’re wearing but maybe one day I’ll look just like you!”

He couldn’t help but laugh at the child. “Maybe. But I don’t think your hair will be this color.”

“No, but I can dye it! My momma dyes her hair because it’s turning grey. She thinks the ladies in the building will make fun of her.”

“Jonathan!”

Turning, the little boy waved at his mother. “Hi, Momma! This is my friend.”

“I told you not to speak to strangers,” the woman chastised. “I’m sorry he bothered you.”

Joshua stood up. He smiled amicably and offered his hand. “Oh, no, ma’am. He was quite pleasant. It’s nice to meet you, I’m Joshua.”

“Uh,” the woman paused, took Joshua’s hand, and shook it slowly, “nice to meet you?”

“I know how hard it is to be different in Shibuya. Did you just move over? Your Japanese is fairly good, and Jonathan here is speaking quite fluently.”

She seemed nervous-almost shy-as she took her son’s hand. “We moved around a year ago with my husband who is in advertising.”

Joshua smiled brighter. “Wonderful. The city always needs new advertising. I hope Shibuya has been to your liking?”

“I love it!” Jonathan piped up. “It’s got a lot of neat people!”

“It does, doesn’t it?” Joshua giggled. “And with the addition of you, it’s even better.”

Jonathan laughed and ducked behind his mother. She smiled and bowed slightly before starting to leave the store. She paused, however, and turned to Joshua. “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it. If you ever need any help transitioning, there are many people here who would love to help you. The Wildcat Café, for instance, is a wonderful place for information. Jonathan would love to go to it, right?”

The boy hopped up and down. “Yeah, yeah!”

“Thank you, again,” the woman said softly. She began to walk away.

Jonathan pulled his hand from his mother’s and ran up to Joshua to hug his legs. “You’re a nice guy, Joshua!”

“Oh? Why, thank you.”

He watched as the two disappeared to the front of the store. There was a gentle presence behind Joshua and he smiled as he leaned back against Neku. “Hello, dear.”

“You’ve got a way with kids, huh?” Neku wrapped his arms around Joshua’s shoulders. He had a couple magazines pinched between his fingers. “It’s cute.”

“He’s special, Neku. I can feel it.”

Neku hummed in the back of his throat. “Like you? Is that why you told her to go see Mr. H?”

“If we can intervene before it’s too late, the little one might have a normal childhood.”

A kiss on the neck. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. I’m happy how things have turned out.” Joshua shifted in Neku’s embrace. “I have you now and Shibuya is more beautiful than ever.”

“Speaking of which,” Neku pulled away, “I have a report to write on today’s Game and you promised me a box of chicken nuggets.”

Joshua smirked. “Did I?”

“Don’t even tease me about that.”

“Oh, c’mon, Neku.” Joshua grabbed his hand and pulled him forward. “We’ll get your nuggets and maybe do a little more shopping. I want to buy you a nice shirt.”

Neku said nothing more as Joshua led him to the front of the store.

The evening was uneventful, and was a happy thought in Joshua’s heart.

He didn’t know how much he’d need it in the days to come.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------

If Joshua thought about it, the apartment was noisy.

Neku was on the phone with Mr. H discussing product for the next Game. The television was on the UGNN, and a rumble of thunder outside signaled a storm. But it didn’t bother Joshua as much as it would have before Neku, and it was actually comforting to have noise around.

Currently Joshua was reading one of the magazines Neku had bought the day before. It was about fashion and how one of the latest trends was Marshmellow Girls. They were plump and healthy girls wearing adorable outfits for plus size and up. Joshua had never understood why being overweight was so frowned upon since it meant-to him-someone who had means.

He saw a particular girl wearing a cupcake inspired skirt and hat, and it made Joshua jealous. Of course, he could tweak his appearance, and it would most likely freak Neku out. It was a win-win.

“Yeah, yeah,” Neku said, and the call ended. He dropped his phone onto the counter. “Well, we’re getting a few new pins in, and the Player Pin is getting an upgrade.”

Joshua looked up. “How?”

“I had to fight to get it, but it alerts a Pre-Pact Player if a partner is compatible. It’s been a sticky point with me that some aren’t and they’re Erased because they don’t mesh well.”

“I never thought about it,” Joshua said, and returned to his pining for the outfit. “But the Game is going well, regardless?”

Neku nodded. He leaned on the back of the couch. “It’s good. Actually, it’s better than good. I’m kinda enjoying it. It’s weird. I don’t think I’d ever have said that before.”

“You do get used to it after a while.” Joshua flipped the page to an ad about pudding. “You start to see what you’re doing for Shibuya.”

“Yeah.”

Joshua slapped the magazine down onto the couch. “So! What are we doing this evening?”

“I haven’t got any plans,” Neku said as he settled on the couch. “We could go to bed early and do a little passionate necking.”

“You gave me a hickey last time.” Joshua rubbed at his neck.

“It didn’t stay long enough. You healed it.”

“I don’t need to be marked.”

Neku frowned playfully. “But I want to.”

Joshua began to protest. His phone buzzed and he held a finger up to Neku before answering. “Hello? Mr. H?”

“We’ve got a problem, boss.”

“What now?” He sighed. Always when they were getting to something good. “It can’t be too bad I don’t feel anything.”

“Yeah, it ain’t that sort of bad. We’ve got company,” Hanekoma mumbled as if covering his phone to stay quiet. “It’s another me.”

“Oh? Oh,” Joshua said, surprised. “But we haven’t had one of those in years.”

“It’s here lookin’ fer the ball.”

Joshua blinked. “…the ball?”

“What is it?” Neku whispered. He tried to steal the phone away and Joshua smacked him. “Ow!”

“Y’know, the left over stuff from the Rolling Numbers thing.”

“What did we do with it?” Joshua twirled a lock of hair around his finger. It was a nervous habit he couldn’t seem to break. “I didn’t take it. I’d completely forgotten about it.”

“I had ta come back later as an afterthought. But it was there intact. I’ve kept it hidden.”

Joshua slid down on the couch to a more comfortable position. It was also to press his foot in Neku’s face to keep him away. “Why aren’t you giving it to him?”

“I don’t feel right, boss. Somethin’ ain’t addin’ up.”

There was a noise. A commotion, and the phone went dead. Joshua tried calling back but the number went straight to voicemail. “Neku, we need to go see Sanae.”

Neku was busy trying to twist Joshua’s foot from his chin. “Why?”

“It appears our angel friend is in danger.”

“Great. And here I thought things were getting back to normal.”

Joshua sat up on the couch. “Things are never normal in Shibuya. C’mon, let’s go. I don’t think we need to be any sort of dressed up.”

“In case you haven’t noticed,” Neku tugged on his shirt, “I’m in pajamas.”

“Neku, dear, I doubt an Angel is going to judge you on your apparel.”

He frowned. “Fine. But if he does I’m taking it out on you.”

“Ooh, don’t tease me, Neku,” Joshua giggled. He grabbed Neku’s hand and pulled him close before transporting to the Wildcat Café.

To say it was a mess would be a horrific understatement. There were charred feathers and upturned tables. The bar was a mess of cracks and gouges. Behind the bar the coffee makers were leaking water and were covered in glass from the broken pots.

“This isn’t good,” Joshua whispered, still holding Neku’s hand.

“Yeah, no shit. What happened?”

Joshua ran his gaze around the store to take in all of the damage. “Angels happened.”

“But isn’t he an angel?” Neku released Joshua’s hand and peered over the bar. “Damn. They didn’t spare a thing here. I think I see blood. God, I hope it’s not his.”

“He is an Angel, but he’s Fallen, remember?” Joshua moved to the back of the restaurant. The couch had been torn open and the television was smashed on the floor. A few pieces of artwork had been spared, but a streak of paint was dripping on the wall. Sanae had to have been working when they showed up. “There are copies of him in other dimensions who would be out for him because of the label. It means Erasure.”

Neku came to join him in the back. “He’s not Erased. I don’t feel it. He’s out there somewhere. It’s like a grey area. Where do you think he went?”

“I’m not sure. Angels are able to bounce around to layers we can’t even see. It’s also possible he left for another dimension where a copy of him is sympathetic to his cause. Either way,” Joshua knelt to pick up a long feather, “we’re down a Producer.”

“It’s not gonna affect Shibuya, is it?”

Joshua dropped the feather and exhaled. “No. But it will affect the Game. We need to find him. Appealing to the High Council will do no good. They won’t touch an Angel on Angel crime if it’s justified.”

“Fuck. Then what? Do we just go hopping around dimensions until we find him?”

“We can’t,” he said, tracing a burn pattern in the carpet. “I can’t leave for more than a few days at most and you can’t leave along with me. The fabric of Shibuya could do without you for two weeks, but if something happened to you, we would be lost. It’s best if we stay here and await word. Sanae is a clever man and he’ll get news to us somehow.”

“I hate waiting,” Neku growled.

Joshua rose. “And you think I enjoy it?”

“Shit. Everything has to be so complicated.”

“To be honest,” Joshua smiled and placed a hand on his hip, “it wasn’t like this before you, dear.”

“Thanks. I needed to hear that.”

He giggled. “Alright, alright. We can’t do anything here. Let’s go back home and devise a plan.”

Neku nodded soberly. “Yeah. Whatever. We should seal the place first.”

“Yes. I would hate for someone to just wander in unawares.” Joshua flung his arm out and a silvery light covered the restaurant. “There. It’s closed for business pending new management.”

“Here’s hoping it won’t be.”

“Agreed.”

Joshua linked arms with Neku and transported them back to the apartment for a long night of strategy and research.

* * *

 

**Chapter #5 – Maintain**

 

It was four in the morning when Joshua received a text from Sanae’s phone. The message was encoded in a numerical language they had set up years before in case of emergencies. Joshua wasn’t sure how to take the text. It mentioned a hospital, a wing within the hospital, and a room number of three-nineteen.

He thought about waking Neku but the boy was sleeping so deep and peacefully it might as well have been a sin to rouse him. Joshua gave him a light kiss on the cheek and fluttered from the UG to the RG directly outside of the Metropolitan Hiroo Hospital. It was a large hospital Joshua remembered visiting many times with his mother. The thought of entering its doors again made him nervous and sick to his stomach.

But for some reason, Sanae had told him to come.

Joshua looked at the text one more time before pocketing his phone. He entered the hospital and asked at the main desk if there was a Sanae Hanekoma listed in the patient register.

“Room 319, left wing,” she said, obviously overburdened with work.

“Thank you,” he said quickly, and hurried to the elevators. Joshua hated hospitals and the noise of people waiting and children crying hurt his head.

On the elevator there were two people furiously texting on their phones. Joshua could feel the panic and fright in their energy. It was painful to bear. Thankfully they left on floor two and the elevator was empty save for Joshua. He avoided eye contact with the mirrored walls and stepped off on the third floor.

“Left wing,” he said aloud and turned to the left. There were empty beds and medical equipment scattered throughout the hallway while nurses and doctors scurried about like mice.

Joshua began to itch. The smell of chemicals and medicine reminded him of far too many unhappy memories and of his father.

Room three-nineteen’s door was open and the room lay dark. He peeked in to see a single patient room with a bed, a curtain, and a couple chairs for visitors. The man on the bed wasn’t moving, but Joshua could tell it was Sanae and his energy was completely off.

It felt human. All trace of Sanae’s angelic grace and power was gone and he lay in the bed as mortal as any of the other patients in the hospital. Joshua inched into the room, not wanting to wake him, and took a seat in one of the visitor chairs.

Sanae was in a bad state. His left arm was broken, a few ribs were cracked, and his right leg was broken in what appeared to be two places. Joshua continued to survey the damage and it made him extremely pissed to see the lacerations and bruises all over his Producer.

He reached out to touch Sanae’s uninjured right hand.

The movement made Sanae groan in his sleep. Joshua started to pull away but the hand slid around his wrist and held him in place.

“Hey, Boss,” the once angel said in a rasping voice. “I see y’got my text.”

“What happened to you and who do I need to kill?”

Sanae laughed, winced, and coughed. “Nah, Boss, I don’t think yer up fer it.”

“Tell me everything,” Joshua commanded. He scooted the chair closer to the bed to rest his arm across Sanae’s stomach. “And I mean everything. If you omit a detail-“

“What? Y’gonna beat me up?” He grinned playfully before his expression went grim. “It was a copy of me. He came to get the orb and when I didn’t give it, he went all out.”

Sanae paused to cough hard. He yelped a bit at the pain. “Damn ribs.”

“I’m sorry. I could try to heal you.”

“Don’t waste yer energy. I’ll be fine,” he said. “But y’need to look out fer ‘im. He said he’d come back and finish tha job.”

Joshua placed his head on Sanae’s lap. “Did you give it to him?”

“Nope. I don’t know what he’s plannin’ but it ain’t good. His energy is off. It wasn’t fallen energy,” he coughed again, “but it wasn’t full on angel, either.”

The light clicked on in the room and they both shut their eyes at the sudden brightness. A round nurse with a clipboard stood in the doorway and she didn’t look too happy. “Visiting hours haven’t begun yet. You’re going to need to leave.”

“I don’t think-“ Joshua had begun to argue with the full intent on using his Composer powers.

“Go, kid,” Sanae said, and poked him in the shoulder. “Y’gotta find it. Yer smart. I’ll text ya later.”

The nurse tapped her foot. Joshua narrowed his eyes.

He leaned up to kiss Sanae on the mouth. “I’ll see you later.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he returned. “Take care of y’self.”

Joshua squeezed Sanae’s hand before walking toward the nurse. He shoved past her as she entered the room with a much more friendly demeanor toward her patient. It rankled in Joshua. He decided not to go home yet. At the turn of a corner he shifted his frequency and became but a ghost in the busy hallways. Visiting hours were usually at six, and it was fifteen past five.

He took a seat outside of the children’s onconlogy ward and listened to the strained but positive music circling around the hall. There were children with terminal illness and yet they were as optimistic and happy as they should have been if healthy. Joshua closed his eyes and smiled at the tender love he felt thrumming under the melody.

But his calm didn’t last. A sharp, familiar voice cut through.

“I need you to understand your role in this.”

His father.

He was down the hall scolding an intern with his severe voice and a finger jabbing at the clipboard he held. The conversation was quiet and Joshua could only pick up a few sentences but it wasn’t good for the intern or the patient he’d been treating.

Joshua didn’t know why he stood up. He would question later why he closed the distance between them and he would chastise himself for doing what he did.

A hard shove sent his father into a tray of medical equipment. The intern backed away in shock.

“What the hell,” Joshua’s father hissed. “Is this a joke to you?”

“Sir, I didn’t-“ The intern continued to back away. “I didn’t touch you.”

Joshua grinned. It had felt good to hurt his father.

“We will continue this conversation later,” his father barked at the intern and walked away.

For some stupid reason, Joshua followed him to a small break room. His father got a cold coffee from a machine and began to sip it.

A thought crossed Joshua’s mind and before he could stop it, the coffee sprayed all over his father’s clean lab coat and baby blue shirt.

“Damnit,” his father cursed and grabbed a wad of paper towels to dab at the mess.

Joshua giggled. He’d need to change, obviously.

His father dropped the can and the paper towels into the trash and muttered under his breath as he walked down the hall to the locker room where the nurses and interns prepared for the day.

Again, Joshua followed. Again, he knew he shouldn’t.

“This is for my mother,” Joshua whispered.

He could tell his father heard it as he paused. It took only a second for the locker door to slam open in Joshua’s father’s face. It cut across his cheek and left a red mark where a bruise would later form. The hit had been hard enough to trip his father over a bench and into the floor on his backside.

Joshua laughed and leaned over the man. “You’re pathetic.”

The doctor closed his eyes and dotted at the blood on his cheek with a small cloth.

“I don’t know,” Neku’s voice came from behind Joshua, “you seem to be the pathetic one.”

Joshua slowly turned around to face Neku. “What are you doing here?”

“I followed your energy. It wasn’t hard,” Neku frowned, “because you glow like a firecracker when you’re pissed off and having fun.”

“Neku, whatever you think this is-“

“It looks to me like you’re beating the crap out of your father.” Neku’s features softened. “Not that I blame you but really, Josh?”

Joshua hadn’t felt ashamed until Neku said his voice in such an exasperated tone.

“Look. I’m not stupid. I know why you’re here. Is he doing okay?”

He watched as his father rose and wandered off down the hall. Joshua closed his eyes and exhaled all of the frustration and cruel anger he felt. “Yes. He’s much stronger than you or I. Unfortunately he’s also quite mortal and if we don’t find the angel who attacked him, he could be killed.”

Neku growled. “Shit.”

“My thoughts exactly,” Joshua said, and placed one hand on his hip. He brushed the other through his hair as he bit his bottom lip. “We should keep an eye out for the angel. Sanae will need supervision but I’m not sure who exactly to ask.”

“Minamimoto. He knows Mr. H,” Neku explained, “and he’s close enough to us. I think he’d be good enough until we can find the bastard who did this.”

“Hm, yes. I suppose there was reason to keep him after all.” Joshua pulled his phone out and began texting with one finger. “We should return to the Room of Reckoning and search Shibuya’s energy at her core. If the angel is nearby we should be able to locate him. Otherwise, his residual energy should give us enough of a clue to know where he was headed.”

Neku nodded. “Let’s go then.”

Joshua stepped toward Neku. He placed a hand on Neku’s cheek and traced the contours of his face with a thumb. “Neku-“

“Don’t. I know what you’re going to say and I’m not going to let you do this alone, alright?” His hand was grasped by Neku’s and pulled back down to their side. “I don’t want to lose you.”

“I wasn’t thinking of doing anything stupid. Of course, I understand if you choose not to believe me given what I just did.” Joshua stared out into the hall. He couldn’t see his father anywhere. “It felt good.”

Neku placed a hand on the small of Joshua’s back. “I’m sure it did. But you’re better than he is, alright? If you ever feel like hurting someone just…uh….just shoot me again. I can take it.”

He couldn’t help but laugh. All trace of anger and rage bubbled up and out in the peal of sharp happiness and song. Joshua shook his head. “Neku, you shouldn’t tempt me.”

“Hey, I like tempting you,” Neku said with a wink. His hand slid further around Joshua’s waist. “C’mon, let’s go see what we can find.”

Joshua nodded. He closed his eyes as they transitioned to the UG and flowed through the music of Shibuya to the Room of Reckoning. The song tinkled through the air like a thousand bells.

Each ring of a bell trailed off into another and Joshua knew it would be hard to separate the glittering notes. His hand reached out and he called the music toward him.

“What can I do?” Neku stood directly behind Joshua. “I mean, I’m just standing here.”

“You’re here to be my support. The music is strong in Shibuya and though I am Composer, you are still in charge and much more powerful than I.”

“So…you’re saying I should just stand here.”

Joshua giggled. He held both arms out to the music and it curled around and through him. His frequency shifted and he stood as a pillar of light surrounded by gold and silver notes. It always felt weird to process so much of Shibuya at once. The beautiful symphony encircled his soul and he became one with the music as his form wavered and spread apart.

He could tell Neku was in awe at the sphere of light. The Conductor’s eyes were as wide as saucer plates and he trembled. Joshua could say nothing as he no longer had a voice outside of the melody.

There were several strains of music calling to him. He reached out to one and it led nowhere. It was leftover from the attack. The angel had borrowed the energy of Shibuya-Joshua was instantly angered-and used it against Sanae. Another strand led toward and away from Cat Street. The angel had returned and left, obviously still looking for the orb.

In the very back of the chorus, there was a small, nearly silent twang. Joshua pulled on it and it snapped like a piano wire. The only thing he could see before it faded away was a still image of another place.

His energy wavered and he felt the music slipping from his grasp. It was too much for his soul to bear and he fell to the floor with a soft plop.

Neku stood above him, eyes still wide, but his surprise was no longer for the majesty of Shibuya.

“Uh,” he began, staring at Joshua, “did something happen?”

Joshua frowned. He sat up, took stock of his physical form, and huffed. “Son of a bitch.”

“I don’t think a kid should curse,” Neku teased, but it was apparent he was worried.

Joshua Kiryu, mighty Composer of Shibuya, was suck in the body of an eight year old child.

* * *

 

**Chapter #6 – Favours**

 

Neku had never asked his dad to take a day off in his life. He always understood how hard Shiro worked to take care of the two of them. It never felt like enough of an emergency to ask. Even when Neku lost his best friend and the stress of school got to be too much to bear, Neku always kept a positive tone on their phone calls and in their texts. He hated being a burden.

But he had no other choice.

He picked up the phone and dialed his dad’s number. It rang a few times, and for a moment Neku was certain Shiro was too busy to answer.

“H-hello?”

Neku swallowed hard. “Hey, Dad.”

He sounded surprised. “Neku? What’s wrong?”

“I need you,” he said quietly. “I mean, I know you’re busy and you don’t have time to but I really need a favour from you. It’s okay if you can’t. I understand.”

Shiro was silent. A pregnant pause later and he answered. “When do you need me?”

He didn’t ask why. He didn’t ask how it was so important. He just asked when.

Neku smiled. “Whenever you get a free moment. My…friend is in the hospital and they want to release him but he has to have a guardian and I can do it, but they won’t let me take him home. I thought maybe you could help. It’s okay if you can’t-“

“Stop saying that, Son. I don’t mind at all. Is it Joshua? Did he get hurt?”

“No, no. It’s a mutual friend of ours though. Have you ever heard about the Wildcat Café?”

Shiro made a noise in his throat of curiosity. “Did that old man get in trouble?”

Wait.

“Dad, do you know Mr. H?”

“Aw, come on. He’s up to his elbows in everything. Last year he helped with a project and two years before that we designed a few shops and eateries. Hell, he basically built his café.”

Neku frowned. “Why haven’t you ever mentioned him?”

“Son, if I mentioned everyone I worked with we’d never get to talk about important stuff.”

“I guess that sorta explains it…”

“Explains what?”

“Never mind, Dad. Uh, can you do it?”

Shiro laughed. “Yeah, I’ll help. I can’t imagine that guy being too happy in a hospital. He’s probably going nuts because he doesn’t have a pencil and sketchpad.”

“Thanks, Dad. It’s room three-nineteen at Hiroo.”

“Sure thing. Want me to take him to Joshua’s?”

Neku felt relieved. “Yeah. I’ll be here waiting for you. Thanks so much, Dad.”

“No problemo, Neku! I love ya, kiddo.”

The phone clicked and Neku set his smart phone on the counter.

“So,” Joshua said in a squeaky voice, “it worked out?”

Neku sat down on the floor of the kitchen to be somewhat level with Joshua. “Yeah. He said he’d bring Mr. H by when he can. I think it makes sense now why he hasn’t forgotten. He knew Mr. H from some projects.”

“That idiot. He never told me anything about it.” Joshua lay on the edge of the rug in the living room with papers scattered all over. He was searching through manuals and stacks of notes about the UG and forced frequencies. Joshua hadn’t slept a wink in two days and he’d barely eaten.

“Maybe you should take a break. Little bodies need more rest.”

Joshua looked up at him with a scowl. “I don’t require sleep, Neku. And despite my current form I still have enough power to not need food. Though I have the strangest craving for salty snacks.”

“Most kids like salty things,” Neku said. He watched Joshua scribble in the lines of paper after paper with a normal sized pen that looked comically large in his chubby hands. “Did I tell you how cute you are?”

Another glare. “Don’t, Neku. My patience is short.”

“So are you,” he teased. “Aw, c’mon, Josh.”

Joshua huffed. He sat up and crossed his arms over his chest. “If you don’t stop-“

“What? Are you going to kick me?”

Neku knew immediately how it pissed off Joshua, but the power exuding from the tiny Composer was not nearly enough to affect Neku. Little Joshua just pouted and glared, and stood up to stomp one foot before storming away. Neku knew the fit wasn’t because of his size-Joshua still had his mental faculties intact-but because Joshua was near powerless.

It was still cute, though.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------

The day passed slowly.

Joshua continued to research as much as possible but what he’d found so far was disheartening. There wasn’t much he could do to shift back into an older body. His Composer powers-censured as they were-had been pulled to the limit and needed time to rebuild. The books said it could take weeks to months and Joshua groaned at the thought. Normally he wouldn’t mind having to rely on Neku but in the middle of a potentially deadly situation it wasn’t good.

He heard Neku in the bedroom. Neku had been out in the city trying to find the orb Hanekoma had hidden but to no luck. “Did you find anything?”

“Nope,” he called back. There was an exchange of muffled voices. Sanae was in the bed recuperating and Neku was drilling him for clues. The damned barista had taken such a hit he wasn’t one-hundred percent sure what he’d done with the orb.

It was somewhere between Cat Street and Pork City, which meant it could be anywhere.

Neku appeared from the bedroom with a dejected look. “At least if we can’t find it, the rogue angel might not be able to either.”

“Let’s hope so,” Joshua said. He finally gave up research and crawled onto the couch for some much needed rest.

Taking a seat next to him, Neku pulled Joshua into his lap and curled around him. “I like you tiny.”

“I like you no matter the size,” Joshua whispered. “Neku, what if I never turn back?”

“Then I won’t have to worry about you molesting me.”

Joshua looked up at Neku and saw the mirth dancing in his blue eyes. “You’re insufferable.”

“That’s why you like me,” Neku said, and kissed the top of Joshua’s head. “I guess we just have to wait or something. Do you wanna watch some television?”

“Might as well,” Joshua shrugged, “it’s not like I’m going anywhere.”

Neku clicked the remote and the television lit up to the UGNN.

A reporter was live on scene of a mysterious bus crash in the middle of South America. There had been several deaths and the entire incident had people in the RG shook up. Everyone had been fine and then suddenly, the bus was upturned. It hadn’t been an earthquake or a mudslide. No one was quite sure what it was, but there had been some talk in the UG of a Noise attack in the RG.

“Oh, this isn’t good,” Joshua said, voice soft. At least he’d managed not to squeak. “The thought of a Noise attack in broad daylight in the RG could mean many things.”

Neku shifted on the couch to wrap his arms around Joshua. “Could it be our friend the rogue angel?”

“It’s possible. But what would he be doing in the middle of South America? If the orb is here in Shibuya…”

A shuffle from behind the couch and Sanae was wheezing slightly as he leaned forward. “Damn. Why’d it have to hurt so much?”

“You need to be in bed,” Joshua ordered.

Sanae shook his head and took a seat on Neku’s left. “Nah, kid. I’m fine. I think I know what that bastard’s up ta.”

“Yeah, I think so, too,” Neku muttered. “I read about this when I first got this job. He’s looking for an entrance to another dimension. If he’s rogue and he’s searching for entrances-“

“It’s means he ain’t got angel powers anymore,” Sanae explained. He coughed and grunted. “Damnit. At least we have some time.”

Joshua exhaled. “It still isn’t good. You need to remember what you did.”

“Can’t, kiddo. It’s there it’s just not there, y’know?”

“The only thing I could see in Shibuya’s music was a single, still image. Black and white with swirls of grey and the shape of two people. It isn’t at all clear.” Joshua wriggled to sit down between the two. “But at least I have you two to watch over me. Well, one and a half.”

Sanae grumbled. “Hey. Shut up.”

He giggled, though deep down he was afraid. “I’m only teasing. We should probably take the night off and do something creative. It wouldn’t do to let Shibuya suffer.”

“In case you ain’t noticed,” Sanae wiggled the fingers of his left hand in the sling, “I haven’t got all of my strength back, yet.”

Neku blinked. He glanced between the cast on Sanae’s right leg and his bruised face. “Yeah, you’d probably heal faster if you stopped hopping around on one leg, too.”

“Shut up,” he growled. His voice was still rough. “I can’t stay in bed all damn day.”

Joshua slid from the couch. “I’m going to take a bath.”

“Do you need a rubber ducky?” Neku laughed brightly.

It was certain he instantly regretted it when Joshua fired a small beam of light toward him. It singed the front of Neku’s shirt and he squealed as he patted the tiny fire out.

The last thing Joshua heard before shutting the bathroom door was Sanae’s laughter and Neku’s creative use of profanity.

* * *

 

**Chapter #7 – Enemies and Friends**

 

There was a limit to Joshua’s wardrobe. He had adult clothing and Neku had only been able to procure a few children’s items to wear. Joshua hated the bright colors and cute patterns, and decided against Neku’s wishes to go out and shop for clothes. Unfortunately, Neku couldn’t come with as he was busy making charts and diagrams with Sanae to find the location of the orb and any possible back doors to Shibuya.

As small as Joshua was, it would be suicide to go alone, and they decided the best choice of a babysitter-so to speak-would be Joshua’s once rival.

Minamimoto.

The man seemed pleased at the opportunity. He had become friends with Neku, and at a distance he tolerated Joshua. No longer reaching for the throne of Shibuya, Minamimoto had taken to special interests in art and writing about mathematics. He had quite a few study guides written and a few novels on theory and principals. While they were out walking the streets, he rambled on about statistics and probability.

He lost Joshua halfway through the conversation. Not so much because of the subject matter, but because the people around the pair were giving Minamimoto strange looks.

The math genius didn’t seem to notice. He continued to explain the ins and outs of trigonometry while holding Joshua’s tiny hand.

“I don’t think they believe I’m related to you,” Joshua finally said, interrupting a fascinating lecture on imaginary numbers and science. “I suppose I should have dyed my hair.”

“Meh,” Sho snorted, “they’re insignificant.”

“Well, not completely.” Joshua could feel the roughness of Minamoto’s palms against his soft skin. “Why don’t we try here? It’s still a bit too colorful for my tastes, but they do have a nice collection of upscale clothes for children.”

Minamimoto shrugged and walked into the store. The door chimed electronically and the shopkeepers gave the pair a look. One of the women came up to Sho and smiled as she complimented him on his hat and jacket. While they were busy, Joshua pulled away and moved to the back of the store.

The wall was lined with little suits and slacks, and fancy dresses with polished Mary Janes. Joshua wanted to buy from both ends of the spectrum, but he worried his baby face and somewhat chubby body wouldn’t look good in lace. He trailed his hand over a taffeta skirt and frowned.

There were a couple sweaters in shades of pink and blue, and one in particular which was yellow with a small bear over the left breast. It was childish and stupid but Joshua felt compelled to try it on.

He could still hear Sho and the shopkeeper exchanging words, and it was clear to Joshua that the woman was into the math fetishist. She even seemed to understand what he was saying as she exchanged similar terms. It would have been a match made in Heaven if it weren’t for the whole Reaper thing.

Joshua pulled the sweater off and slung it over his arm. A cute pair of jeans and sneakers were soon added and eventually one of the ladies in the shop came to help him hold things. Overall he found five or six outfits and two pairs of shoes. He forewent any female clothes, but he did buy a nice set of hair barrettes.

At the register, the ladies of the store squealed over how adorable Joshua’s little cheeks were. Minamimoto laughed and slapped Joshua on the back as he paid with a stack of bills Joshua had given to him at the beginning of their outing. He carried the bags and even lifted Joshua up onto his back despite the mini-Composer’s arguments.

They left the store and Joshua circled his arms around Minamimoto’s neck. “Don’t you think I’m a bit big for being carried? I am eight.”

“Nah. I’m a lot stronger than you think, little digit.”

“Well, yes, but-“

Minamimoto laughed. He bounced Joshua once. “C’mon, y’gotta look the part.”

“I suppose so,” Joshua sighed. He clutched Minamimoto and leaned his head against the leather clad shoulders of his once nemesis. “I thought you hated me.”

“Not entirely,” he replied, looking over his shoulder. “You were gonna throw Shibuya away. I had better plans. Everything would have been rounded up to it’s highest potential.”

Joshua didn’t say anything. He was beginning to feel tired.

“Oi, you still with me?”

“Yes. I’m a bit hungry.”

Minamimoto bounced him again to lift him higher. “Aight.”

They stopped at Sunshine Burgers Shibukyu, and Minamimoto plopped Joshua down into a booth. He went up to the counter to order while Joshua sat with the bags. People passed by talking and laughing and Joshua watched them until a tray of food slid over the table in front of him. He wasn’t big on Sunshine, but it was alright in moderation. Sho had ordered him a box of nuggets and a small french fry with a small soda.

“Aren’t you hungry?” Joshua poked one of the nuggets.

“Nah. I’ll eat later. Higs is making some of his famous stew,” he explained, slamming one fist into his other hand. “It’ll be out of this world.”

Joshua smiled. He took a nugget, bit into it, and chewed slowly. There were so many people in the restaurant and it was fun to watch them. He felt unguarded, but not unsafe. Outside the window there were busy shoppers and schoolchildren, and Joshua remembered a time when he was just like those in the crowd.

Then again, he wasn’t exactly like the others. He could see the Noise following people around and the Players darting to and fro as they tried to make it back to the world of the living.

Once he finished his nuggets and around half of his fries, Joshua knelt in the booth to stare outside the window. It didn’t seem to bother Minamimoto, as he’d brought a notebook and was scribbling math problems and small paragraphs on the lined paper. Joshua folded his arms on the windowsill and sighed as he imagined still being alive and being a part of the world he never fit into.

A small group of people wandered by with three women and two older men. They were professionals dressed in hospital attire. Joshua thought about his father and as if to pour salt into the wound of his mind, he saw the bastard in the middle of the group.

“How in all the years am I seeing him more and more now?”

Minamimoto didn’t respond with anything but a grunt.

Outside the small group began to break up. Two women wandered off with a wave and the other man went in another direction. Last to leave was the other female, and she hurried off with a cell phone pressed to her ear. It left Joshua’s father in the middle of a disconnected crowd. He turned to see Joshua staring at him, and a look of confusion crossed his face.

“Well, shit,” Joshua hissed, seeing his father approach the store. “We should leave before-“

“Joshua?”

He flinched. It wasn’t possible.

The old man looked weary. He still had a bruise on his cheek. “You’re Joshua, aren’t you?”

Minamimoto watched warily, his eyes narrowed.

“Honestly, sir, I don’t know who you are talking about.” Joshua folded his arms and turned away in an attempt to end the conversation. It didn’t work. The bastard sat down next to him.

“I’m sorry, you remind me of someone,” he said softly. “I had a son but it’s been so long since he died I couldn’t remember his face but…you look just like he did.”

“Aren’t you father of the year?” Joshua snarled, but it sounded too cute to be a threat.

Sho finally took interest. He set his notebook down and growled, “Oi, old guy, leave my cousin alone or I’ll subtract you from this equation.”

The man just blinked. “Forgive me. I just-”

Joshua stared at him in depth. The lines and wrinkles on his father’s face spoke of worry and stress, but the look in his eyes was not due to age. He appeared sad and lost. There was a softness in his gaze that unnerved Joshua. All he wanted to remember was the pain of being abandoned in a time of need. Joshua didn’t want to see his father as anything but a monster.

But sitting next to him was just a man. A tired, worn man with a broken heart and nothing left of the family he once had.

“I’m sorry, I’ll leave you alone,” the doctor said, standing up. “Again I apologize.”

“Wait,” Joshua wasn’t sure why, but he stood up on the booth to be level with the man. “Kiryu is your given name, correct?”

The man nodded. He tapped a finger to his name badge on the coat. “Yes. Norinaga Kiryu.”

“I don’t presume to know anything about you or your son, but it wasn’t well between you, was it?”

Minamimoto sat quietly across from them. He had retrieved the notebook and pretended to write things down while peering over the edge of the book.

“Unfortunately,” Norinaga said, “I wasn’t on the best terms with my family. Not that it matters to a stranger or to a child.”

“It matters to someone,” Joshua explained. He tentatively reached out to touch his father’s hand. “Please understand I am not giving you absolution of your sin, but if I were your son, what exactly would it mean to you?”

He sat back down. “If you were my son, I would apologize.”

“For what?”

“I wasn’t there when he needed me. I wasn’t there,” he paused, “when my wife needed me. I loved my wife and I loved my son. I have no delusions of being forgiven for what I’ve done.”

Joshua felt anger in his heart. It burned and demanded he lash out at his father for all the wrongs and ignorance. For leaving Joshua to handle the funeral of his mother and to live alone with only the memories of a happy family to keep him. Joshua shuddered as he tried to keep his emotions in check.

“I don’t think he could forgive you. However,” Joshua grasped the man’s coat sleeve, “in time he might be able to.”

Norinaga smiled for some odd reason and rose from the seat. He turned to leave, but stopped. Without looking at Joshua he said, “Thank you, little one.”

Nothing more was said as he disappeared into the crowd. Joshua watched and waited for a good five to ten minutes before saying, “I’m tired and I want to go home.”

“Don’t worry, kiddo. I texted Neku,” Minamimoto said, not looking away from his work, “he’ll be here in a fraction of a nanosecond.”

Joshua laughed. He piled the empty containers on the tray and carried it to the trash to dispose of before setting the tray atop the can. There was a gentle feeling in the air and if Joshua had been his old self-Composer powers and all-he would have traveled the city alone.

He felt a hand on his shoulder. It didn’t feel wrong but it didn’t feel familiar either. Joshua glanced up into a pair of brown eyes half-hidden behind dark glasses and a messy tangle of hair. Panic instantly surged within him and he cried out to Minamimoto as the strange man tugged him away.

A couple of schoolgirls saw what was happening and they attempted to intervene.

One grasped Joshua’s arm and pulled him back, “hey, you can’t just go around kidnapping children you creep.”

“Yeah, what she said,” the other girl mustered. “Get lost.”

It didn’t have the effect Joshua would have hoped. The man snarled, shoved the girls away, and yanked Joshua across the restaurant by his hair.

Minamimoto was at the door, barring escape. “Put him back.”

“You don’t understand what you’re protecting,” the once angel ground out. “Get out of the way before I turn this restaurant into a pit.”

“I don’t think-“

A flash of light and a rumble caused the patrons to scream and flee. There were Noise inside the Sunshine establishment and they latched onto Minamimoto long enough for Joshua to be carted away.

Joshua squirmed and kicked. “Let me go!”

The angel tucked him under an arm like a sack of potatoes and fell into a run.

“Someone help!” Joshua bit into the flesh of the angel’s side. For his efforts he was knocked in the head hard enough to make the world spin. Consciousness began to slip, and he fought to stay awake. Another hit and all he could see was a hazy outline of Shibuya in grayscale, and the fuzzy forms of two people.

It was just like his vision.

“Neku…” he stammered, reaching for his Conductor before darkness consumed all.

* * *

 

**Chapter #8 – Five Six Two**

 

The room in which Joshua came to was dark and dusty. His head hurt and his eyes burned with pain as he tried to make out the shape of furniture. He was on a bed of some description. It was small, like a child’s bed, and had a big, purple bow in the middle of the headboard. Joshua frowned and tried to sit up, but the room spun and his stomach lurched.

“Shh, shh,” a tender voice, “don’t move just yet.”

Joshua wanted to argue but he physically couldn’t. A cold rag brushed over his forehead and a pack of ice was placed near the top of his head. He could feel a blanket being pulled up to his chest and he groaned when the person touched his face.

“I’m sorry for being rough,” the voice said. It was deep but full of apology. “Hey, stay with me. You’ve been out for a while now.”

“Where am I?” He grit his teeth at the sound of his own words. “My head-“

“The pain’ll pass. Just take a few breaths, okay, kiddo?”

Joshua scrunched his eyes shut as a spark of light formed atop a candle on the bedside table. Unfortunately, any light made the headache worse, and he tried to turn away from it. Whoever was in the room with him pulled him back.

“No, no,” the man said, “don’t go back to sleep on me. Here, I have some crackers. It’ll help with the nausea. C’mon, sit up a bit.”

“I don’t want to,” he pouted but strong hands scooped him up and sat him against the headboard.

The ice pack was placed gently on his head and a rough hand rubbed his shoulder. “Here.”

Joshua took a handful of crackers and began to suck on the corner of one. His eyes still hadn’t adjusted to the darkness in the room. There were two people in the room aside from him. The man who had been caring for him was in half-shadow and another man sat in the back of the room covered in inky black. He watched the one he could see, and managed to peep out, “who are you?”

“Do ya have ta ask?” The man came closer.

He had a scruffy beard and deep set eyes. Joshua could see dark circles and the doubling of bags hanging from the lower lids. Despite the contrast between his own Producer, Joshua knew the man was the Angel he had been warned about. The crackers tumbled from his fingers and he slid back on the bed to put distance between them. His back hit the wall and he found his breath heaving.

“Now don’t get upset,” Hanekoma’s doppelganger said. He tried to reach out but Joshua kicked his hands away. “Hey, don’t-“

“It’s alright, Sanae,” the other man spoke. His voice was soft and light, but it cracked with pain.

He stepped into the light of the candle and his long silvery hair fell to his shoulders. A gentle expression danced over his worn and scarred features, and his eyes were kind. “Hello, little Joshua of Shibuya Five-fifty-one. I would like to introduce myself.”

“No, it’s not possible.” Joshua continued to try and shrink into the wall. “No, I can’t be here. Shibuya needs her Composer and-“

“Shh, shh,” the other Joshua soothed. He crawled onto the bed and stroked a gnarled hand down the side of Joshua’s face. “Don’t freak out. Everything is going better than we had planned. Your dear Neku is an interim Composer and he did such a wonderful job when you were away prior to this. I’m sure your Shibuya will be quite alright. However, my Shibuya needs your help.”

“I can’t help you,” Joshua wheezed. He trembled at his alternate’s arms curling around him. “Don’t touch me!”

“There, there, I won’t hurt you. In fact, I might be able to help your frequency. Sanae,” he said sharply, “help him out.”

“Right, boss. I ain’t got much power,” he explained, “but I’ll try.”

Joshua shut his eyes. An electric tingle ran up and down his skin. He could feel the music of Shibuya flowing through his veins and he squeaked as his frequency popped.

The clothes on his slender frame ripped at the seams and he felt cold once the air hit. His body had turned back to normal and though he was incredibly grateful, he was still frightened. Joshua-the other Joshua-still held him in a warm embrace with a smile.

“Don’t you feel better?” He gently kissed his alternate’s temple. “You may call me either Joshua or Kiryu. Or, if you prefer, Five-sixty-two.”

“Where is this?” Joshua stammered. The arms still held him and the more they did the safer he felt. “Why have you brought me here to this desolate place?”

“Sanae,” Kiryu nodded, “tell him.”

The once Angel stood with one blackened wing and the skeletal structure of another protruding from the back of his emaciated frame. “Kiddo, you’re in our Shibuya.” He moved toward a window where a tattered curtain fluttered. It parted with his fingers and outside the destroyed and crumbling remains of a proud city was bared.

Joshua slid from the bed and away from Kiryu. He was tall enough now to see outside and the scene below shook his soul. There were no people, no animals, no sound…

There was nothing.

It was an empty void of grey and black soot covering the ground and walls.

He pressed a hand to the broken glass and pulled away with the large shard fell to crash in the street below. “What is this?”

“This is my beautiful Shibuya,” Kiryu said. He hopped up from the bed to stand behind Joshua. His right arm slid around Joshua’s shoulders. “You see, our Neku didn’t win the Game.”

Joshua glanced at the arm encircling him. It was heavily burned and pieces of tissue and skin dangled from his wrist and forearm. The sight made Joshua shudder, and with the added light of the day outside he could see the scars on Kiryu’s face.

Half of the boy’s face was melted. Joshua had thought it was a trick of the light at first but now the truth of what stood before him hit with a sickening ache.

“You destroyed her. You destroyed Shibuya? What about Megumi? What about the bet?”

Kiryu laughed in a gravely rattle. “You remember the end, don’t you? Megumi was Erased and Neku was forced to choose between becoming Composer and saving Shibuya, or letting it rot. My poor Neku, he didn’t only refuse to shoot, but he took his own life in front of me. I had no choice.”

“You had every choice!” Joshua shoved away from him but landed against Hanekoma. “I’m not helping you. Why should I help you? You aren’t fit to be Composer!”

“Of course I’m not,” Kiryu giggled. “It’s why I brought you here. It’s simple, Joshua. Once we find the orb of Rolling Numbers we can collect all the souls of my dear citizens and begin anew with you as our Composer. You’ve done such a good job in your world.”

Joshua struggled against Hanekoma as his larger hands grasped Joshua’s arms. “I refuse. I’m not going to help you. Why in the vast expanse of the UG should I?”

“Because,” Kiryu grinned, “if you don’t, I will use the orb to destroy your UG and your precious Neku along with it. Used in the right way, the orb can rebuild the UG you see here. We call Noise and it gathers the souls of the Players to begin a new Game. It will be a long process and I’m sure it will wear us thin, but Shibuya will once again be beautiful. But used in the wrong way…”

Hanekoma laughed. “If used in the wrong way it can flood a UG with enough negative energy to tip the tables and destroy the fabric of Shibuya.”

“No, you wouldn’t…”

Kiryu ran a finger down the side of Joshua’s face, down his throat, and to his bare chest. “I am out of options, Joshua. I need you.”

“You need therapy,” Joshua spat.

“Aw, c’mon, J,” Hanekoma ruffled Joshua’s hair, “don’t make me hurt you again. We can do this easy er hard.”

“Yes. I would hate to restrain you, Joshua. But if you continue to fight, I will have no choice. If you love Shibuya as much as you claim, you will help me.”

Joshua snarled. He jerked away from Hanekoma and kicked Kiryu hard in the knee before escaping out the door. It was hard because he didn’t know where he was or the layout of the house, but a sliver of light peeking through the front door led him to the street outside.

His feet slammed on the pavement and his legs throbbed with a sudden rush of adrenaline. The city was quiet save for his struggling breath and the sound of his footsteps. Joshua could hear the false Composer shrieking at Hanekoma, and the sound of a large Noise swooping close.

He darted down an alleyway and into a building with a broken door. It was just as dark as the other building had been and he tumbled to the ground, slicing his knee and scraping his arms. The Noise was close on his heels but before Joshua could continue running, a hand clamped on his wrist and tugged him deeper into the darkness of the house.

“Follow me!”

It might have been a female if the voice was an indication, but Joshua knew not to put stock in physical attributes of gender. He said nothing as the person led him down a flight of stairs and into an underground tunnel between two buildings. They continued to run until Joshua couldn’t keep up and the other released his wrist.

“Gather your strength, Yoshiya, we are only halfway to home.”

Joshua coughed and knelt on his hands and knees as the dirty air made it hard to breathe. “W-who are you?”

The person had a hood to cover their face and neck, and a series of torn pieces of fabric as clothing. They had small, pale hands covered in dirt and soot, and they reached up to remove the hood.

It couldn’t have been anymore confusing.

He was staring into yet another pair of lavender eyes.

“You know who I am. I am you,” she said, “but I am not you.”

Joshua gasped, still struggling to breathe. “Five-fifty-one.”

“Six-hundred and Ninety-Two. You may refer to me as my number. Otherwise it’ll be much more complicated further on.”

“What do you mean?” He finally had enough wind in his lungs to stand.

She smiled and took his wrist once more. “C’mon, I’ll explain on the way.”

They continued to run down the dark corridor lit only by a small ball of light dangling from a chain around the female Composer’s neck. It bounced against her breast and cast rainbows against the walls, floor, and crumbling ceiling.

Joshua hoped she knew what she was doing.

 

* * *

 

 

**Chapter #9 – Numbers**

 

“Everyone, I would like you to meet Five-fifty-one,” the female Joshua-692-said with a wave of her hand. In the filtered light from the broken roof of the church, there were at least ten to twelve Joshuas in various forms and coloring. They glanced at each other and slowly stood up.

“Nice to meet you,” the Joshuas said in unison.

One in particular stepped forward and offered their hand. “Twelve-twenty-nine-a.”

“A?” Joshua took the slender hand in his and noticed the skin was paler. “Wait. Are you a twin?”

She nodded. “My twin is still in our world holding Shibuya together. I know it’s unprecedented to have a pair of Composers but we haven’t had any issues.”

Joshua turned to another of those gathered. He had dark hair and tanned skinned, and a sour expression as he stood away from the others. “Y’can call me Timothy or fifteen-eighty. I don’t care. I’m not even like you. In my dimension I’m not even a Joshua. I’m the Composer of region six in Montana. But apparently our souls are similar.”

One more stood up and came forward. She glanced around and kept her head lowered as she rubbed two, dark skinned hands together. Her clothes were the worst of all, and they hung on her thick frame in curls and rips. The skin beneath was mottled with lighter patches and her eyes were a deep, cinnamon chocolate. “My nickname is Tatters. I’m from twelve-forty-two.”

Joshua smiled. He took her hand in his and gently stroked it with his thumb. “You’re not a Composer, are you?”

“No. I’m just a homeless kid from Brittan. I don’t know why he took me,” she whimpered. “I want to go home to my sister.”

692 had removed the cowl around her shoulders and hair, and she shrugged out of a worn coat. “We’re working on it, 1242. I promise we will find a way back.”

“You said that last week,” 1580 growled. “And the week before that.”

“She’s trying her best,” said another female in the back. She hadn’t introduced herself. “Just back off, Timothy or I’ll Erase you for fun.”

“I’d like to see ya try, bitch.”

“Oi!” 692 clapped her hands and the noise reverberated throughout the church. “All of you quiet down and keep calm. Our new friend hasn’t been brought up to speed.”

In the very back of the church, Joshua could see more people milling around. There were a few Nekus and a couple random people he wasn’t sure of. A handful of Hanekoma clones and angels were seated and talking to each other in hushed tones.

Joshua shivered. “How long has he been up to this?”

692 placed an arm around Joshua’s shoulders. “Since the Long Game in his world. I’m not quite sure but at least a year? We’ve been here in different units of time, but he’s tried Nekus and Joshuas, and if the Hanekomas try to stop him, he takes them as well. We can’t leave. He’s sealed the dimension. If we try to look for holes and cracks in the wall, he’ll find us. Leaving the underground system of tunnels is a death sentence. There are Noise hidden everywhere and we’ve already lost seven of us to their hunger. Without Players to Erase, we are their food.”

A Hanekoma-lord did that sound weird to think-came up to the crowd and they instantly parted around him. Or was it a her? Joshua wasn’t sure. The energy was obviously male and yet she had breasts and a sharp curve to her bottom. The once angel had a scar over her left cheek as if she’d been slashed.

“I’m a guy by the way, so, yeah,” he said, offering a hand. “I can hear those gears a’grindin’.”

“How are you here?” Joshua curled his fingers around Hanekoma’s. “You’ve been censured.”

“Yep. Not sure how the asshole knows how to do it but my power is with that other guy.”

“Mine, too!” Another called from the back. She was busy playing a form of cards with the others.

Joshua finally sat down on the edge of a church pew. He placed his head in his hands and exhaled in frustration and anger. “I have to get back to Neku. He nearly broke the last time I piled Composerhood on him and I’m not sure he’ll be able to cope. We are still weak from the last battle with the Rolling Numbers-“

“You were the one?” 692 gasped. “He finally found you. Where is the orb? Do you have it with you?”

“N-no, my Producer had it hidden so well he forgot where it was.”

“What a moron,” Timothy laughed. “What a fucking idiot. Oh my Lord but I thought my Producer was the dumbest brick in the box.”

Joshua frowned. “That doesn’t even make sense.”

“He’s from Montana,” 692 sighed, “he never makes sense.”

“Hey,” the boy huffed, “shut up, weirdo in a skirt.”

“Now now,” the Hanekoma waved his hands, “no infighting. I don’t want to get in the middle of a Composer fight again.”

“This is a total mess,” Joshua grumbled. He watched the group of Nekus in the back corner as they played a simple game with a round, bouncy ball. It appeared to be a mix of basketball and soccer. “Why are they here? Moral support?”

692 sat down next to him. “Some are here because they are Composers. The others are here because of torture. Kiryu wants to make the Joshuas suffer to force them into giving up. You see that one,” she pointed to a smaller Neku with brown hair, “he’s mine. Oi, Neku!”

The boy turned to wave at them. Joshua could see a pattern of burn marks down the right side of Neku’s face and over his shoulder. One eye was covered with a bloody bandage and two fingers were missing from his right hand.

And yet, when he saw his Joshua, he smiled as bright as the sun.

“This isn’t happening,” Joshua whispered. “I can’t fathom this.”

692 rubbed his back in small circles. “Just take a few deep breaths.”

“Yeah, kiddo,” Hanekoma said. He slapped a hand on Joshua’s back. “It’ll be right as rain soon.”

“How is it going to be? We are trapped in a psycho version of Shibuya ran by a man who is, by all accounts, a sadist asshole. If we leave, we die. If we stay, our Shibuyas could crumble. There is nothing right at all about any of this.”

Timothy began to laugh again. “I like this guy. He’s smart.”

“You,” 692 began, “are a failure as a human being.”

“Sweetheart, I ain’t human. I’m dead.”

Hanekoma rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Stop fighting.”

Before Timothy or 692 could say anything further, yet another Joshua and Neku came running into the room from the tunnels. They were haggard and gasping for breath, and the Neku had a long slice up the middle of his back.

692 was instantly on her feet. “What happened? Did you find anything?”

“We might have,” Neku wheezed. A Hanekoma with a curly tail and pointed ears had rushed to the front to check out Neku’s wounds. “But the Noise, they were too fast.”

“Oh, hello,” the alternate Joshua huffed, “who are you? Neku, we have a new friend. We are sixteen-seventy-five.”

“Uh,” Joshua stammered, “five-fifty-one.”

“Wonderful,” 1675 chirped. He then turned to the actual cat Hanekoma. “Is he going to be alright, sir? It was a taboo Noise on top of everything.”

A rumble of discordant sounds fluttered through the crowd.

“He’ll be fine,” the cat said. He ran a finger up the wound and the smell of burning flesh and blood filled the air along with Neku’s cry of pain. “There. It’ll be good until we get home.”

“Shit, fuck,” Neku 1675 cursed and stamped his foot. A long brown tail curled up from his spine and a pair of flattened, calico patterned ears peeked out of orange hair. “Damn, warn me next time.”

“Neku, Neku,” Joshua 1675 clicked his tongue. “You’ve been hurt how many times now?”

“It never gets easier, asshole.”

Joshua was worried they might fight, but both 1675s tangled with each other in kitty cries and yowls before rolling over the floor with purrs and yips. It appeared they were actually quite in love with each other if the sudden bathing session was anything to go by.

“They’re not lovers,” 692 explained. “They were litter mates taken in by our dear Hanekoma here.”

“I think my head is going to explode,” Joshua said, and moved closer to the tunnel entrance. “I don’t know what to do. I can’t sit idly by and wait for Neku to find me.”

“Unfortunately,” Hanekoma grumbled, “we ain’t got a choice.”

Joshua turned back to them. “He is but one man and we are many. How have you not possibly tried to mount an offensive against him? I can feel the power in this room.”

“Don’t,” 692’s hands were balled into fists, “don’t say what you don’t understand. The last time we tried he did what he did to my Neku for punishment. Please, 551, don’t.”

“I’m not-“ Joshua bit his lip to silence. “I won’t wait until he does it to mine. Even if it means I go it alone I’m not staying here.”

Hanekoma placed his hands on Joshua’s shoulders. “Y’can’t just go blazin’ in there half cocked.”

“I’m not. I have a bit of my power left. I would rather die and be Erased by him than to allow my friends to come into this world searching for me.” Joshua whirled around and began walking down the long tunnel with a sick lump in his stomach.

A hand grasped his shoulder. It was Timothy.

“I ain’t got nothin’ to lose. Lemme come help,” he said.

Joshua only now noticed the vest and jeans, and now a cowboy hat had been placed on his head.

“Alright,” Joshua smiled, “I’ll let you come.”

“Let me? Shit.” Timothy punched him in the arm. “You need me more than I need you.”

They continued down the tunnel, the sound of various goodbyes and good lucks echoing down the tunnel toward them. A soft call from 692 stood out from the rest of the voices.

“Be safe and return to us! You are far more important than you know!”

Joshua glanced back over his shoulder and saw her standing and waving.

He had to get them back to where they belonged. This was partially his fault for creating the dimension in which he’d planned to destroy Shibuya. Regardless of his saving the city for Neku’s sake, it was his own decision to make a bet.

Joshua tried to keep a positive outlook as the darkness of the tunnel filled the world around them.

The only light came from a small flashlight Timothy had between his fingers.

“Good luck to us both, eh?”

Joshua nodded. “We are going to need it.”

* * *

 

**Chapter #10 – These are the times of our lives.**

 

“Kiryu,” Hanekoma 562 said, “we need to act more quickly. Shibuya is beginnin’ to crumble.”

“You act as if I’m unaware of my own city’s needs. I can feel her, Sanae. She is dying, and I along with her.” He glanced at his arm and the burnt edges of his clothes. “I have failed her.”

“Boss,” his Producer began, but was silenced by a hand.

“I don’t wish to hear it.”

He walked to the window and placed his hands on the sill. The city below was desolate and empty of people and animals. There were no birds, no voices, and the music of Shibuya strained against the walls. Kiryu closed his eyes and breathed in the murky air that had once smelled sweet and bitter with a variety of restaurants. His body shook with rage and he lashed out by tearing the curtains from the wall.

“I have to save her,” he growled, punching his fist into the sharp glass. It shattered and cracked, and slid into his skin to slice it apart. His Producer tried to calm him but it had little effect. “Get off of me.”

“Kid, y’need to stop. It’s not good for her.”

“I’m going after them. I refuse to wait for the Noise to finish the job. I am going, and you cannot stop me. I will kill them,” Kiryu snarled, “I will kill all of them.”

Hanekoma sighed. “I can’t stop ya.”

“No, you can’t.” Kiryu wrapped a hand around his bleeding arm. His form wavered and stretched with two black wings arching up from his back. The skin of his human body fell off in flakes and the bones beneath grew longer and wider.

He knew the form was frightening. It was all he had left of his original Noise form and the power of his city. The wings were as skeletal as he was, and he shrieked in warning to anyone who could hear. He slammed his body into the wall and it broke apart as all twelve feet of him flew into the sky with discordant cries and screams.

Below, the city rang in heartache and Kiryu swooped through the alleyways and streets to search for the scent of his prey. He could feel the heartbeat of two Composers, and he lunged forward with unchecked speed. There before him was the pair he sought. He knew one was from Montana, and held the soul of Joshua but not the name and form. The other was his latest prize, and the one he most believed would be able to repair the city.

With a cry and stretch of his wings he flew toward them. They began to run and he kept close on their heels as they dove into a tunnel. The sudden, small space did nothing to keep Kiryu from hunting. He clawed and kicked until the walls of the tunnel began to collapse.

A bright light from further in the tunnel made his shriek and curl away. His eyes were blinded and he snarled and flailed in the tunnel.

692\. He knew her. She was the one with the most beautiful music and the light of her city pulsing in a small, round orb at her breast. The Composer was useless, having refused to help, and having rescued the others Kiryu had collected.

His anger grew and he pushed into the tunnel far enough to kick one leg out. The bony appendage snapped around the girl and yanked her from the tunnel as he took to the sky. He could hear her screaming and shouting at the others to keep away.

Kiryu landed on top of what used to be 104, and he slammed the Composer onto the roof.

She didn’t seem afraid. Her eyes were bright with determination.

“You are a fool,” she spat. “You are blind with rage and with ignorance to your actions. This is not the fault of your Neku or any of us. This is the fault of you.”

Kiryu screeched. He kicked her into a wall and came to hover over her.

She was still unafraid. “Go on. Do what you wish.”

“How dare you,” he snarled. “You think to know me and my city, but you know nothing. I will find your Neku and this time I will make him suffer.”

A blinding light assaulted his eyes and he backed away.

“If you so much as breathe in his direction I will rend you limb from limb.”

Kiryu pounced upon her. His claws were at her throat. He tore the chain from around her neck and tossed it off the building. She was vulnerable, but she still stared at him without fear.

“You won’t be alive to protect him,” Kiryu growled.

He sank one claw into her chest. Blood spurted from the wound and the Composer coughed even more blood up from her mouth. She shuttered beneath him and Kiryu grinned as he tore her heart from her body to crush it.

“No!”

Turning around he saw the Composer he wanted. Joshua 551. Kiryu screamed and flew at him, tumbling over the pitched roof.

Joshua lay beneath him, claws in his shoulder and legs. “I will not help you.”

“If you don’t, I shall do to you what I did to her.”

A voice from behind them, “I don’t think so.”

Kiryu whirled around. It was another Neku. He hated Nekus.

“Who do you think you are to test me?”

Neku 551 stepped closer. In his hands he held the red orb Kiryu had so desperately sought. The Conductor grinned and tossed the orb up and down in his hand. “Gee, I guess you want this, huh?”

A sharp cry issued from Kiryu’s bleeding lips. His body was beginning to decay as he spent the last of his city’s energy on keeping his semi-Noise form.

“Neku,” the Joshua beneath him called, “stop teasing the asshole.”

Neku shrugged. He pressed the orb between his fingers. “You want it? Come and get it.”

The Conductor flew from the roof with the aid of his wings. They were large and much more impressive than any of the Composers Kiryu had seen. He gave chase, his body aching to stop, but his soul too focused on the prize to care.

His claws flexed as he neared Neku 551, but the Conductor continued to evade him. Kiryu shouted and barked in anger, and when he finally managed to catch up with Neku, they were near Pork City.

With a flash of brilliance, Neku 551 landed on the roof with outstretched wings. He grinned as he held the orb in his fingers. “Do you want it?”

Kiryu growled low in his throat. He advanced slowly, like a cat stalking prey. His arms ached and he scratched his claws over the roof in warning.

The Conductor wasn’t worried. He held the orb out and dropped it onto the roof. It rolled to the side.

Before Kiryu could latch onto the orb filled with tortured souls, a hand reached up from the concrete roof and curled around it. A small child, broken and bruised, stood before Kiryu with the orb in her hands.

“Hello, my Composer.”

No. No. It couldn’t be.

“S-shibuya?” He backed away, and bowed his head. “My lady, I-“

Neku 551 moved to stand beside her. She was small and frail, and the Neku knelt beside her with one hand on her shoulder. “Hey, do you need help?”

“No,” she said, voice calm. “I thank you for your aid. If it weren’t for you I wouldn’t have the strength to stand before my Composer.”

“What do you mean?” Kiryu snarled. “What did you do to her?”

Joshua landed on the roof to stand next to his Neku. The large angel wings he bore curled around them both. He smiled and patted Shibuya on the head. “Yes, what did we do?”

Shibuya smiled. “Kiryu, you were too deaf to hear my music. You ignored my pleas and you turned your back on me for petty revenge. I can no longer trust you to be Composer. I must, unfortunately, Erase you from existence and take what is left from your soul.”

“No,” he whispered, voice cracking. “Shibuya, I tried to save you!”

She shook her head. “You wanted to repair the damage you wrought, but it was too late. I need someone else to take your place in full. No borrowing of energy. No kidnapping other Composers. No forcing them to fix your problems. I will choose one from here to replace you.”

“That isn’t fair! I fought so hard to bring you back and you’re going to Erase me?! I won’t allow it!”

He lunged toward her but Neku and Joshua of 551 jumped in front of her with a wall of protection. Kiryu attempted to break the wall but he only managed to weaken his hold on the semi-Noise form and soon his energy wavered and fell back to that of a broken man. His skin hung from his skeletal frame and his eyes wept blood and fluid.

“Shibuya, please! Don’t abandon me!”

She reached out to him. Her hand touched his face and she sighed. “I did not abandon you, Kiryu. You abandoned me.”

He began to cry as his form twitched between solid and static. Shibuya was absorbing what little strength he had left and he had no choice but to let her. His eyes closed and he begged forgiveness as the static hum echoed around him.

Kiryu’s last, conscious thought was of failure and pain. He joined the screaming Players of Rolling Numbers and his power was torn from him as he melded into the mass of souls.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Neku sat down hard on the roof. His wings fluttered back into his body and he folded one hand over his knees. “Shit. Things just keep getting more and more fun.”

“Oh,” Joshua said, sitting next to him, “you don’t mean it.”

The small form of Shibuya sat in front of them on an upturned bit of clutter. She smiled and held the orb in her outstretched hands. “Thank you for bringing me the orb. I will take good care of it.”

Neku touched the orb. It was warm to the point of burning but it didn’t burn his skin. He looked up into Shibuya’s grey eyes. “What now? You said you’re going to pick a Composer but there’s no one here.”

“There’s no one here in the UG,” Shibuya explained.

Joshua stood up and went to the edge of the building to look down. He waved Neku over and the two of them watched as Shibuya transformed from a blackened husk of a city to a rather pale and boring reflection of their own. People hustled to and fro but there were no bright colors to their outfits. They mingled about with quiet conversation, and they didn’t hold the happy energy the city of 551 did.

“Wow,” Neku exhaled, leaning further over the wall.

It occurred to Neku exactly what Kiryu had been doing. He’d destroyed the UG but the RG had remained intact. However, when the UG had gone poof, the wall between the two layers was stronger than ever and even the Composer could not penetrate the frequencies. Neku frowned.

“Shibuya,” Joshua said, voice soft, “are you going to be able to find one? There isn’t much imagination in this entire city. I can’t feel but a handful of people with promise.”

She stood beside them. “It will be hard, but I’m sure with enough love I can thrive. First, however, I must return those my Composer took. Many of them will need to rebuild their own regions, but I will consult with the Higher Ups to make sure they are cared for.”

“What about 692?” Joshua stared at Shibuya with hope. “Tell me she isn’t completely gone.”

Shibuya’s gaze was focused far away into the sky. She hummed, and her hands folded together.

“I can feel her energy. It is strong and capable. Though it may take time to rebuild her music, there is a chance I can restore her. However, the others were Erased long before and I can no longer piece them together. Joshua 551, I implore you to give aid where you can.”

Neku watched the two interact with a distant sort of feeling. He continued to look at the city and it’s people as Shibuya and Joshua laid plans to undo what Kiryu had done. The orb would be left in Shibuya’s care, and the first game would need to be run by an interim Conductor. Neku heard numbers and names but they didn’t make much sense, and he tried to keep his thoughts together at the confusing conversation.

“It’s settled, then.” Joshua’s hand curled around Shibuya’s tiny fingers as they shook on whatever plans they’d made. “If you require assistance you need only call.”

Shibuya nodded. She released Joshua’s hand and turned to Neku.

“Take care of him.”

Neku grinned. “I’ve got a lot of experience in that.”

“Oh, Neku,” Joshua sighed teasingly. He placed his arm around Neku’s. “Let’s go home, hm?”

“Yeah. I’ve got a ton of questions.”

Joshua shrugged. “I’m not answering them until I’m clean and well rested.”

“Fine, fine,” Neku said, and he reached out to pat Shibuya on the head. “Take care.”

She smiled brightly as they shifted frequencies and found their way back to the dimension from which they had come. The Throne room of Shibuya 551 shuddered with music and Shibuya sang around her Composer and Conductor in both happiness and admonishment.

Neku felt tickled by the notes and he laughed as their Shibuya complained about them having left.

“Hey, stop,” he snickered, “Shibuya-“

“Shibuya, you naughty child,” Joshua said, reaching his arms out. “We were only gone a few short days at most. Which reminds me, Neku, how did you find the orb?”

“That idiot Producer of ours had it in the pocket of one of his vests.” Neku rubbed at his face. “What a freaking moron.”

“Oh, no,” the Composer exclaimed, “I completely forgot about Timothy.”

“Timothy?” Neku leaned into Joshua. “Should I be jealous?”

“Absolutely not. He’s a foul mouthed Composer from Montana. We were together before Kiryu decided to snap 692 up like dinner.”

Neku made a noise in his throat of understanding and plopped down on the throne. He could see Joshua’s eyes narrow, and not too soon after the Composer sat on top of Neku.

“Hey, get off.” Neku didn’t push or shove, but placed his hands on Joshua’s hips. “You’re being childish, Josh.”

“I missed you, Neku,” he said, turning to slide his legs around Neku’s waist. Joshua’s lips brushed against Neku’s and he kissed Neku with as much force as possible.

Neku relaxed into the kiss and let Joshua explore his mouth. It felt good to be kissed. With the battle over-so he hoped, as there were too many questions left-it made the gentle press of two bodies more pleasurable. Neku pulled back, ran his finger along Joshua’s lips, and sighed. “It was too easy.”

“I agree, but why worry?” Joshua kissed him again. “It’s not as if we’ll need to worry. She will need to take care of herself. I’m sure the others will find their way home and whatever damage Kiryu wrought will be repaired and made right. Don’t worry, Neku. I’m positive nothing else will happen.”

“You say that,” he whispered, pressing another kiss to Joshua’s mouth, “but you’re always wrong.”

Joshua giggled. He curled his arms around Neku’s neck. “My precious Conductor. I think you and I have earned a quiet rule from here on out.”

“Just because we earned it,” Neku paused to run his hand through Joshua’s unkempt hair, “doesn’t mean we’ll get it. We’ve been through so much this past year. What’s next?”

“I may be psychic, Neku, but I can’t tell you.”

Neku pressed his forehead to Joshua’s. “Can’t or won’t?”

“Perhaps both.”

“You can be such an asshole,” Neku huffed playfully. He curved his hands under Joshua’s bottom. “Maybe we could go home and…I dunno…do something fun.”

Joshua’s eyes lit up. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah. I mean, yeah.”

A teasing grin slid over Joshua’s face and he giggled. “Oh, Neku. There’s no going back now.”

Neku smiled, placed his mouth to Joshua’s, and whispered, “I hope not.”

And he meant it-every word.


End file.
